


A Detective Tale

by Shotahunter1851



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Gangs, Gen, Gun Violence, Horror, Monsters, Murder Mystery, Mystery, Private Investigators, Russian Mafia, Survival Horror, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:49:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 33,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21837742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shotahunter1851/pseuds/Shotahunter1851
Summary: AU. Amity Park suffered greatly after the initial ghost outbreak. The Fenton family lost their youngest son during the madness and Jazz grew up trying to find her brother turning into a private eye.
Relationships: Danny Fenton & Jazz Fenton
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

A detective tale  
Chapter one: The detective

Danny Phantom Fanfiction  
Danny phantom and all its characters belong to Butch Hartman  
This is a work of fiction hope you all like

It was cold and rainy evening in Amity Park, the gray clouds block out the sun as its heavy rain wash away all on the concrete grounds while the strong winds rattle the windows violently of a tall five-story building near the edge of town, from the third-floor window in a pitch-black apartment there is a dark female silhouette whose bright red hair contrasted with her white button blouse which in turn combine perfectly with her black dress pants and black waistcoat, the woman didn’t pass beyond her mid-twenties, she leans back on her old leather chair as she enjoyed watching the endless rain just outside her window while she savors a cigar, with bored eyes she soon finishes her smoke. 

The room she’s in is a rather small living room that kept her large desk with two chairs in front, a couple of bookshelves against the right wall, a small couch with a coffee table in the middle and a few cabinets, a perch, a water cooler and some small necessities here and there, to the left is her kitchen, a very small bathroom and her bedroom next to it. The main door that led into the hallways held proudly a sign that read “Fenton Private Investigations.” 

With a loud yawn the woman walks over to her small kitchen straight to her fridge soon she was staring into the cold device yet all she could find was a lonely beer can - “it’s a little early for that”- said the woman as she returns to her leather chair while she checks her smartphone, the only luxury she still held. 

\- “Figures... both my fridge and my bank account are both empty.”- continued the lonely woman as she recalls not having a single case in nearly three months.

\- “It’s surprising how fast money runs out,”- thought out loud the red hair detective as her door was suddenly open, yet far from a client it was none other than the private eye’s personal assistant.

With a soft smile, the young girl greeted her boss as she asks why was all the lights were turn off, - “hey Sam, sorry ‘bout that I kinda forgot to turn it on”- replied the woman as she watches her fourteen-year-old helper put her soaked raincoat on the perch next to the door.

The girl soon walks into the kitchen much as if she had always lived there while tossing her school bag on the couch, the kid was a Gothic perhaps it was just a stage in life. Nevertheless, she did dress far more casual than the regular goths one would find in the streets, the girl dressed with a black and green checkers skirt, a dark tank top that let her belly button be seen and finally a pair of heavy combat boots with purple leggings. 

\- “Miss Fenton would you like your regular coffee”- questioned the teen as she already started to brew the drink, with a cheerful “sure” the woman answers as she recalls having given up on having the girl call her Jasmine or Jazz, nonetheless since she’s her employer there should a line must be drawn somewhere, her eyes where pull back to her phone in hopes someone had sent her an email regarding work, yet as it had been recently, it was empty. 

The detective stare blankly at the screen as she recalls a few years ago when she had started her agency, back then her very first client was none other than Sam’s father; Jeremy Manson, a local businessman that had more than his fair share of luck for he had made quite the considerable amount of money. 

He came to Jazz one day so she could look into a business affair, apparently his partner had been stealing company money, but had no way to prove it with getting involved, but her client also had other ideas in mind. 

Since he couldn’t use his own people for the job, he needed someone from outside the company, someone without a name, that someone was Jazz. If she were to fail, he could simply deny ever hiring her and said she just wanted to gain a reputation or to even blackmail someone from the company and let her take all the fault. 

Yet even Jeremy didn’t expect that a young rookie detective like Jazz without any sort of real experience could be so skillful and so resourceful for it only took her less than a week to uncover the whole treachery, she even came to his house with documents and surveillance footage that prove the embezzlement.

That same evening Jeremy had his partner fired and taken to jail for the crime, despite her triumphal debut as a private eye, work was still seldom as they came in one or two cases a month at best, though every now and again Jeremy threw her a “bone” for he felt guilty of trying to use her as a scapegoat in case everything went wrong. 

Sam came back from the kitchen as she carefully passes her boss the hot drink as she had one for herself on the other hand, - “Sam I been thinking about closing shop early, well no one’s coming or calling”- said the red hair detective.

She had also considered in permanently closing her agency due to her long run without work and her personal debts started to rise, even so, she had been wondering ever since she hired the girl nearly a year ago, why would a rich gal like her be working for a private eye who can barely afford to pay her the minimal, not to mention her punctuality, ever since the first day Sam had been crossing the door at exactly 3:30 pm without fail. 

Because of the kid’s age Jazz needed her parent’s approval something that was unbelievably easy to get especially considering who her mother and father are, - “perhaps they wanted her became more independent”- wondered the red hair detective while she also considers how embarrassing it would be for her to call her own parents to ask for money considering she is a private eye, and there were, of course, the personal reasons as to why she opened the agency in the first place. 

Her gothic assistant looks at her with a curious stare as she replies - “well how about we go to that new Cafe in downtown, I’ll treat you,”- nonetheless her employer just laughs, as her adult pride wouldn’t let her be treated by a teenager she employs. 

\- “No can do kiddo”- was her answer. 

Though it had been nearly a year since the private eye had hired the kid, Sam had proven to more than useful, since she knows her way around computers and had even organized all her case files like a pro, though to be fair they were few now a day. 

With pessimistic thoughts Jazz had also begun to recall or better yet to number the many reasons for her lack of work, it wasn’t that Amity Park was a safe city much on the contrary it had become one of the most dangerous places in the world due to the abrupt ghost infestation nearly a decade ago, the woman took a long sip of coffee as she looked at her crack ceiling. 

\- “Well for starters I guess no one wants a woman to investigate for them or to solve their problems after all people still want their private eyes to be like Dick Tracy, big, tough and a total lady-killer.” thought the woman as she took another sip from her coffee mug, the one true pleasure she could enjoy without restraints. 

\- “Secondly and I know this is arrogant, I have a slender body, a face that rivals with any model even without makeup, my breast is medium size and sadly my muscles are almost nonexistent, so I guess I’m far from intimidating much on the contrary one could say I’m very attractive”- continued the woman in thoughts. 

She had realized long ago the almost unique risk women in this line of work take, especially those who look like her nonetheless she had forgotten to mention her razor-sharp eyes and almost always angered expression, though her physique may be enticing her angry look made people take a certain distance from her, even if she hadn’t notice.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, most of her cases had involved tailing cheating wives and sometimes finding lost children that more often than not were found at the local amusement park trying to get in for free, not that she complains though, work is work after all.

But in the end, she was hoping for more exciting cases, yet after five years in the business she only had a handful of serious cases that involved an involuntary murder, one kidnapping and some other sinister events that push her limits, right now she would settle with another cheating wife case if that brought her a so needed payday.

\- “Maybe I should just quit and get married.”- continued thinking the woman as she soon shook off the idea while she turns on her computer that held one too many gigabytes of cheating wives’ surveillance footage, that might even shy away the most hardcore peeping Tom. 

Just above her screen Jazz could see her young helper finishing with the cleaning as she soon took out her own personal laptop, that far surpasses her boss’s in many aspects such as price, capacity and much more. 

Though feeling somewhat jealous the detective buries her eyes once more on the screen as she let her helper do her homework, while she mindlessly surfs the web trying to find a case she could take or at least some entertainment. 

Amity Park had become known as the cradle of ghost for this was the town that fist saw them, to make things worse it was placed where they started to attack and murder the innocents before spreading like a plaque worldwide, in order to respond to this unprecedented horde of evil, governments around the world form their own anti-ghost task forces compose of soldiers, experts in the occult and even “magicians” had been recruited, though these last ones were from an uncertain background. 

The many news sites that Jazz was browsing all show the random ghost attacks that had occurred recently in town, “mmm, that lunch lady ghost is at it again.... and ghost X too,” whispered the detective. 

She knew all too well she couldn’t offer her services to anyone there since the new government division would be all over it and most likely just kick her away, it was no secret that the newly form division had no idea of how to deal with the ghost menace for all they could do was shoot them with their fancy ecto-rifles until the ghosts left only for it to return some time later. 

Even the police often look away from ghost related problems because of the “Division,” this kind of situation had brought many “ghostbusters” into town searching for easy money, yet they all learn the very hard way that dealing with ghosts was not like in the movies, rumor was that many of these teams never came back from their hunting once they enter a haunted house, though it remains just a rumor since no bodies were ever recovered, many believe they just ran away.

The room was in complete silence, the only noise was the keyboards keys been hit as Sam was working on her homework while chatting with her online friends, even the heavy rain hardly made any background sounds. 

The lack of noise and the scarcely illuminated room made it into a slightly comfortable place, so much that Jazz had started to doze off even after drinking a heavily charge coffee, soon her head tilted to the side with her mouth slightly open, though before she could walk into dreamland, her desk phone started to ring so loud it startled both girls knocking away any sleep in Jazz. 

It took the redhead a full second to recover from her drowsiness, - “might be a client”- said the woman with some cheer in her voice, -“hey Sam if it’s another cheating wife, we’ll go to that Cafe you mention earlier but I’ll be paying,”- continued Jazz as she made the bet with her teenager assistant while she held her hand above the phone.

Her friend eagerly answers with, “you’re on boss.” 

Drowning away her drowsiness Jazz quickly answers before whoever was one the other side decided to hang up, “Good afternoon, Fenton Private Investigations, how can I help?”- answered and questioned the young detective as she smiles towards her little helper, who stare at her expectantly but there was a silence that forces the red hair woman to repeat her greeting though this time she got an answer. 

\- “... May I speak with detective Jasmine Fenton”- said a deep voice. Something was off with the mysterious voice on the phone, up until now no one had ever asked for her by name, not even once.

\- “You’re speaking to her, let me guess you want me to keep tabs on your wife, right?”- replied the detective as she winks to her Gothic assistant, as she had not forgotten the childish bet both had made. 

\- “We need you to find someone, can you meet with us today.”- continued the voice as he relays the directions to the meeting place. 

Jazz’s guts told her something was wrong, therefore she told him it would be better if he swung by her office to better check details, yet the man refused and insisted on her meeting with them, the call was triggering far too many warnings in her head, yet her lack of work made it very difficult to refuse. 

“So, who do I ask for?”- questioned the redhead but the man remained in silence for a brief moment. 

“Ask for Smith,”- that was the last trigger, Jasmine had far too many prank calls in the last year to even take this seriously, she was even stood up once when she foolishly went to a meeting. 

\- “Sorry mister Smith I don’t do things that way, if you want my help came to my office”- said Jazz with a stern voice as she hung up. 

Leaving Sam with a surprise expression it was no secret that many people made fun of Jazz, some even look down on her and some more had prank call her every now and again, Sam knew this far too well since part of her job is to answer the phone.

Only a few seconds later the phone rang once again, this time Jazz pick up without saying a single word, she waited for the man to speak first, which he did as he basically orders her to check her bank account, with a few key strikes she open her personal bank account on the computer screen.

\- “$20,000, just to meet you”- said the voice as Jazz stare in surprise at the large amount already deposited, she needed the money there was no denying it and to return it would be too much of a hassle. 

“Interesting, it seems you are serious about this ... find, I’ll see you”- replied the woman as the man hung up on her. Sam couldn’t avoid asking about the call not caring for the bet anymore. Jazz looks over to her gothic friend. 

\- “Well kiddo seems we got work, something big this time. We’ll go to that Cafe later” said the detective as she headed to her bedroom while Sam follows her with her eyes and a worried expression, it was rare for Jazz to have such a serious look on her despite her always angry eyes. 

Slowly the detective walks over to her closet that was next to the window, from within she pulls out a long black coat, that reaches below her knees and a black gambler hat. 

Though she didn't fancy wearing either of them, they were nonetheless gifts from her gothic helper, the kid seems to have a romanticized idea of the private eyes, as she insisted that Jazz should look the part if she wanted to be taken seriously, it was something Jazz seem to doubt, all in all, it did look good on her, both the coat and the hat.

Now “properly” dress as a detective, she turns her attention to the nightstand, from the drawer she pulls out her trusty handgun, a black nine-millimeter Ruger SR9, Jazz had never fancy big guns for she prefers smaller and more compact weapons.

The SR9 had the perfect size for her hands, the recoil was slightly harder than expected, but it had a decent stopping power, a proper fitting weapon in this line of work often meant the difference between life and death, even if she hadn’t faced such a situation yet. 

The SR9 was tough looking, quite easy to concealed and easy to use, even so she prefers to carry it in a holster on her right hip cowboy style, hidden under her long coat.

To compliment her pistol, Jazz always carried a well-sharpen combat knife hidden on her left ankle and a pair of bronze knuckles in her pockets, as she barely had the strength to cause any real harm to any foe she might come across. Nonetheless, she also did make it a habit to have a notebook, a pen and other small necessities she might need at hand. 

Armed and dress for work Jazz walk pass her assistant as she handed the girl the office keys, after a year of loyal work, the kid had earned a certain degree of trust. 

\- “I’ll probably come back late, if you don’t hear from me by tomorrow, call Jeremy”- instructed the private eye as she couldn't avoid thinking it might be a setup of some sort, Jazz finally step out her office with an umbrella in hand, leaving Sam alone inside to finish off whatever homework and office work she still had left. 

(XXXXX)

As the detective walk down the hall and made a turn around the corner she could perceive a faint smell of marijuana coming from her neighbor mister Anderson, the poor man was the classic story of a war veteran turn junkie, since he couldn’t coup with the horrors of war but in reality, the man had never step in the army less likely a battlefield, he was just a lost soul, lost to drug addiction. 

Apparently, he took too many acid trips and was now stuck on the journey, to point he actually believe to have been in some war in a far-off land, perhaps he had been watching a war movie when his brain stops functioning properly. 

Jazz felt some pity for the man, he was filthy, incoherent and yet he was always on time to pay his rent, that was something that made the redhead wonder as she questioned the origin from where he got the money from. 

Not really wanting to interact with the junkie, Jazz hastily walk pass the apartment as she could hear Anderson talking to someone, - “didn’t think he had any friends around here?” questioned the woman as she heard the man reply to himself while he tried to use a different voice.

With that she knew her neighbor was talking no one but himself, at the end of the hallway was the elevator like usual in this rundown apartment building the lift didn’t work, it even had a worn-out sign that read, “out of order,” begrudging the poor building maintenance, Jazz turn over to the stairs. 

Eventually, the detective found herself walking down to the second floor, from the stairs she could hear a couple yelling at each other in the middle of the hallway, these two had been married for years and for years they had been fighting and arguing about the most menial of things to the point that nobody even care to look anymore. 

\- “hey Jazz tell this idiot he’s an idiot for watching that bikini show!”- said the wife the moment she caught a glimpse of the detective. 

Both the man and woman were in their late forties, the wife Anna, a slightly fat woman who never wore makeup and dress a rather ugly nightgown in slippers despite the time. 

Her husband Carl was wearing no more than his dirty briefs, showing off a large and hairy beer-belly, just like with her previous neighbor, the redhead didn’t feel like interacting with the couple, not because of some antisocial attitude more likely because they were all no more than a headache, even so. 

\- “Come on Carl, you got a nice wife there, you should behave yourself”- said the detective without stopping as she pointed at the man with her umbrella.

\- “You look nice today detective.”- Replied the man as he saw her go down the next flight of stairs, apparently, he had a crush on Jazz, it was something his wife had picked on and obviously didn’t like one bit. 

Even on the first floor Jazz could still hear the arguing going on though now her name came up a few times, the ground floor and the first floor both were meant for small offices and small businesses, Jazz couldn't get her agency on either floor yet somehow she managed to convince her landlord to let her have her office in her apartment for the same price. 

As she tread to the next staircase she came across a small lawyers buffet, most of her cases come from them, though recently they hadn’t called her over, the guys specialize in divorce settlements so they normally call her up so she could obtain evidence on any foul play, these lawyers seem to be more concerned with keeping her personal reputation clean rather than giving her work.

\- “I’ll talk with them later; I hope they haven't traded me for some macho private eye”- thought Jazz as she walks past their door. 

Once on the ground floor, she came across some more offices and even dentistry of ill repute, but the real show here was the landlord’s apartment, the man never really cared for anything aside from collecting the rent and his football games. 

Just outside his door was his son, Michael, the teen was around the same age as Sam, he was sickly thin and his creepy haircut didn’t help improve his style, he always wore the same white shirt with food stains and pair of blue shorts.

Horny teenagers were a normal thing yet this creep was beyond that, young Michael was a disgusting pervert, he always hangs near the stairs to look up at women skirts, there wasn’t a single day he wasn’t reading some porn magazine or viewing a porn film on his smartphone without caring if someone saw him. 

Most if not all tenants avoided him much like one would avoid a mangy dog, he even had the audacity to pretend to fall down just feel up girls when he “fell” on them, unfortunately for the teen when he tried this on Jazz rather than feeling up her ass, he accidentally touches the detective’s gun. 

The boy paled up as he realized what he was actually touching, Michael was quick to apologize while he also tried to explain that it was an “just accident,” yet even after his apology Jazz grabs him by the neck in a tight grip, anger by his constantly lascivious behavior. 

The detective looks straight into his eyes and said - “next time you accidentally touch me, I’ll accidentally shoot you in the head.”- 

Michael saw the dead seriousness in her glare, even with the half brain he had, the teen understood she meant business, to this day Michael believes Jazz works for the local mafia and keeps a fair distance from her. 

As soon as pervert saw the redhead come near his door, he was quick to disappear into his apartment locking the door behind him, Jazz couldn’t help but giggle at his cowardice.

A few more steps and she was out the main door, the moment she steps outside the apartment building she was welcome by the strong cold winds and even colder rain, surprised by the winds that partially lifted her long coat, Jazz held tightly to her umbrella as she also held to her coat’s collar. 

\- “I should have brought an extra coat.” She said out loud while she covers herself from the rain under her umbrella. 

Jasmine quickly made her way towards the parking lot just a few meters from the main gate, her vehicle of choice was a simple green beetle model 2000, fairly beaten up, she had the car since her high school years. 

The vehicle in question held many fond memories for the woman, but unfortunately, its performance didn’t hold up to the fondness, for Jazz would have already traded it for something more useful if she had the money, the car burned more oil than it burns fuel, it often broke down on the way and it never started on the first try, just keeping it around was a pain.

After a few tries, the engine finally started to run, - “with those 20 grand I can get a new car.... no, I’m getting ahead of myself, better see what these people want first”- though out loud the red hair detective as she drove out of the parking lot. 

Jazz wonder if she was walking into another prank call yet one that would be very expensive since she already had the money safely in the bank, while she drove down the street the woman come to a stop at a red light, just on the corner to her right is a small diner with bright lights, a wooden sign and many sweet treats on the display window. 

It had a classy touch, even with the ongoing rain, the stench from the street sewers as well as her smoky car she could still smell the sweet bread being baked, it reminded her that she had skipped both breakfast and lunch, her stomach growl forcing her to park next to the shop.

The attendant was slightly taken aback the moment Jazz walk in, she didn’t look like the regular customers, her black clothes contrasted awfully with the bright pastel colors on the walls and the cute decorations. 

To her left were a few girls that seem to come from money as their expensive clothes were a big give-away, one of them look over to Jazz yet to moment their eyes met each other the teen turn away immediately, scared and worried it might be some sort of burglar, the girls take hold of their purses in a silly attempt of protecting them. 

Jazz ignore the attitude of the rich brats as she walks towards the cashier who greeted her with a frightened smile, the woman was around the same age as Jazz though her hair is blonde and unnecessarily busty. 

The detective smiles back as she orders a sandwich and a few chocolate donuts as well as a soda, the red hair woman couldn’t help but wonder if such a large breast size were a requirement to work here. 

As she waited for her meal Jazz notice the place to be rather small just a few tables, no waiters, just the cashier and the cooks in the back yet it didn’t seem to lack customers, after a few minutes her order was ready, the blonde girl look at Jazz still worried, yet she calms down the moment Jazz paid her and left the shop.

Without looking back Jazz climbs aboard her beaten up car, once again it took her a few tries to start the engine, as she headed to the meeting, detective Jazz recall why had never enjoyed being in places such as that classy cafe, she always stuck out like a sore thumb, people would always observe her like some wild animal thinking she might go mad all of the sudden, thoughts like this come to her mind as she unsafely ate while she drove down the street. 

(XXXXX)

It took her only twenty minutes to reach her destination, but as a safety precaution she stops her car a block away, from there she could see the house where she was wanted. 

It was a three-story high brick manor with a large garden at the front and a garage to its side, surrounded by a tall iron bar fence, at the gate she could see a small guard booth. The place had expensive written all over it, even the neighboring houses seem luxurious. 

\- “mmm, I don’t like this, better get it over with.”- said the detective, it wasn’t the first time some rich prick tried to get some “special” service from her. 

Before leaving the vehicle, Jazz made sure her handgun was fully loaded and ready for action, with a deep sigh she steps out quickly taking shelter under her umbrella, the rain hadn’t lightened up in the least, she slowly but steadily walks up to the booth. The guard was quietly reading a magazine completely oblivious of Jazz who was staring at him from the window frame. 

\- “.... Excuse me.”- said the woman kindly as she knocks on the glass forcing the man to stand up as fast as he could. 

\- “The hell you want?”- said the guard in a rude tone while he stares down at the redhead.

Jazz would have pistol whip him on the spot just to teach him some manners and respect but that, of course, would be unprofessional not to mention the guard was a towering two-meter-tall man build like a brick wall and armed with a sub-machine gun. 

\- “Mister Smith is expecting me, so ring me up”- ordered Jazz as she locks eyes with the man, her unflinching gaze was deadly serious, even though the guard was doubtful he was told someone would come to see the boss today, therefore he took the phone and call the manor. 

\- “Tell your boss, DETECTIVE Jasmine is here.”- continued the red hair woman as she emphasizes the “detective” part. 

She could hear the guard saying her name a few times over before following with some random words such as “ok, got it,” and “understood,” the guard looks at her once more now with a more relaxed look on himself. 

\- “Someone will be here in a moment”- said the man as he opens the gate letting the detective in, once inside she could see the inside of the booth, it was a small station which consisted of a very simple desk, a locker, a phone and a handful of picturesque magazines with catchy titles such as “guns and boobs.”

Putting aside the rude guard and his poor taste in reading material Jazz wonder why someone from such a wealthy house would want to hire her, surely, they could afford someone with more experience and more capability to that matter.

The guard avoided looking at her as he kept his cold hard stare towards the street, soon a brown-haired woman in a maid uniform walk out of the manor, Jazz quickly took notice of her as she came up to her in a graceful walk. 

\- “Good evening detective, please follow me this way”- said the maid in an elegant tone as she guided Jazz to the back garden. 

As one would have expected the house had an impressive pool where the young rich kids would most likely hold scandalous parties, on the other side is what seems to be an outdoor kitchen, the grass and bushes all neatly trim, the many color roses were beautifully bathed with rain. 

Before long the maid had let Jazz to a large wooden gazebo, surrounded by roses and neatly trim bushes, within was a round antique table and her host who patiently waited for her.

The brown hair maid did a curtsy after she pointed to the master of the house, Jazz walks into the gazebo but remains at the entry, where she could see an old man with grayish hair standing in the corner wearing a butler suit sporting a mustache. 

The man seems to be bored yet attentive as he quickly ready a chair for Jazz in front of the host, the detective moves her head towards the person she assumed had called for her, there she saw an old lady in a fancy and most likely expensive dress sipping some tea from an equally expensive tea set. 

“Good evening detective, please take a seat”- said the old woman as Jazz follow the instruction. 

Once seated the red hair woman could properly see her host, the old lady was a thin woman clearly in her mid-60s, though her hair was now gray and her face had wrinkled with the years, it was easy to tell she had been quite the beauty in her younger years. 

\- “My name is Joanna Smith and I need of your help”- said madam Smith as she also apologizes for using one of her employees to contact her. 

\- “You must understand, I have never needed the help of a private investigator, so I thought you might have not taken me seriously if I had called, though it took two calls... and hearty tip for you to come here,”- continued the old lady as she took another sip of her tea as she also instructed her butler to serve some for her guest.

Jazz took notice on how the madam was playing with her fingers tips around the teacup as she also avoided looking at her in the eyes, it didn’t take a master detective to see that the old lady was nervous, even frightened by the red hair woman, after all, Jazz only true intimidating feature are her sharp eyes and scary glare, if one had to say, she had an intimidating aura.

\- “My apologies for that but a woman in this line of work tend to get many harassment calls, so I have to be on my guard. Your man said something about finding someone, may I have the details so I can start as soon as possible”- said the detective as she had technically taken the case already. 

The lady finally looks at Jazz straight in the eyes as she smiles, almost as if on cue her butler walks up to the table in order to put some files in front of the detective, she noticed they were all police reports, though not the kind you get on public access more like the kind you pay a lot of money for, before opening the first file she saw the worried expression on Joanna’s face, making the investigator ask if something was wrong.

\- “No, it just that you look so different from what I thought you’d be,”- said the lady as Jazz was taken aback by the answer, even though she dressed her best clothes for this meeting and was on her best manners, so what could have she done wrong to insult her host. 

\- “I’m sorry it’s just that I imagine that you’d been more of an overweight, cocky kind of person, just like in the movies,”- continued the lady making Jazz raise an eyebrow as she had expected this much at least, it didn’t surprise her since most of her clients had the image of privates eyes almost from movies. 

\- “Sorry, it’s just that you’re completely the opposite of what I was expecting, your thin, tall, well dress, and both your hair and face are so beautiful, if it weren’t for this horrible situation I would love it if you would work for me,”- continued the lady with more glee in her voice. 

Jazz giggled for a moment as she replies - “thanks, though I’m already working for you, ma’am.”- It took a few moments but the lady’s name finally kicks into Jazz’s head. 

\- “Joanna Smith? Oh as in Joanna Elite modeling agency,”- realize the detective. 

Joanna’s agency though still on the rising was well known for making some of the best top models in the city, some had even competed in miss universe thanks to her, though the few that competed rarely mention her agency, the redhead also understood that money wouldn’t be an issue Jazz's it wouldn’t be the first time some rich guy would claim poverty on her. 

\- “Mmm, me, a model, that’s to laugh about”- thought the detective while she imagines Sam’s reaction to the idea. 

She also recalls some rather nasty rumors, it was said that Joanna had two gorgeous daughters who follow the family business for they had both became models, yet a few years ago the eldest daughter Sarah was found dead by overdose in a sleazy no-tell motel, at least that was the newspaper read, Jazz finally started to look at the files in her hands.

\- “Let me walk you through this,”- said Joanna as she took a deep breath, almost as if she were preparing herself for it, the old lady didn’t need to walk Jazz through anything yet it seems that she had to for some personal reason. 

-“My firstborn Sarah was the black sheep of the family, she ran with the wrong crowd since young, started doing drugs and met her end by them, but my second daughter Amanda she was my pride and joy, unlike her sister she work hard, eventually she got married and had a beautiful daughter”- said the old woman. 

“That’s the reason your here, my granddaughter, my little Stacy has gone missing,”- said Joanna as she stood up and walk over to the edge of her gazebo.

From there she could get a better view of her garden were her grandchild often played, Jazz comes across a picture of the girl, she was just a seven-year-old with long blonde hair and astonishing blue eye, the very same that reminded the detective of someone very dear to her. 

\- “About two weeks ago, my daughter’s family went to see a kids’ movie that Stacy wanted to see, on their way back they were attacked by one of those hideous ghost things,”- continue the lady with repute and clear disgust towards the ghost. 

Such feelings were only natural, as Joanna spoke Jazz came to another picture, now of a wrecked car, it had claw scratches all over, the hood and the driver’s doors were missing most likely ripped by the creature.

Unavoidably the detective had to ask why the police wasn’t already involved in the search, - “those clowns said it was federal jurisdiction so they can’t do anything aside from writing those reports, but those GIW goons had the nerve came to my house and tell me to accept the inevitable, to stop looking,”- responded Joanna with an anger voice, Jazz kinda understood both the lady and police, the cops had no way to deal with the ghosts as for the feds they were just mean bastards. 

The red hair detective follows with another question - “where were they last seen?”- yet she notices how Joanna doubted in answering. 

\- “Well....... East Town....”- answer the lady with her back towards the detective.

The woman now understood why the police and even the feds refuse to continue the search for the kid, East Town was a name given to a lost part of Amity Park, one that had been overrun by ghosts and other evil entities many years ago, now a day it was near suicide just to go there at given anytime. 

\- “I see ma’am, I really hate to say this but East Town is unbelievably dangerous so the chances of finding your granddaughter alive are... well...” Jazz couldn’t keep going she knew this would hurt her host more than anything.

The woman had already lost her husband some twenty years ago, now both her daughters were dead, and finally, her grandchild had gone missing, most likely to be found in multiple pieces. 

Jazz understood the risk at hand even with her money need, to go searching for a dead kid in the most dangerous part of Amity Park, was out of the question, though before she could refuse the job. 

\- “Please I’m begging you, help me,”- pleaded the old lady as she turns around and took hold of Jasmine’s hand with both her wrinkle hands, her eyes water up. 

\- “Why me? Surely you can hire someone far more capable than myself, for all I know you can hire a whole team of mercenaries for this job,” said the redhead. 

Having understood that this case was way above her head, it wasn’t that she was afraid or under-skilled, but she didn’t feel like throwing her life away, the lady removes her hands while she smiles at the detective. 

The rain was finally stopping yet the cold air remained and the sun was still hidden above the clouds, - “there are many reasons, firstly you came highly recommended by people in, let’s say my social circles” said the old lady, Jazz knew she was somewhat popular among the rich and elite of Amity Park mostly thanks to Jeremy. 

\- “Secondly, you had your fair share of missing children cases, even when those wretched ghosts were involved you always found them, always,” continued Joanna.

Jazz recall some of her cases in which ghost nannies had abducted children, though to be fair it was more than luck and least than a miracle that she had found the missing kids. Because of the constant mockery from her peers, she had lost sight of her constantly successful cases no matter how few they were. 

\- “And finally, your parents, they’re the best ghost researchers in the whole country, to think that once their work was ridiculed and now praise like the bible of ghost researchers, well because of all that I know that no one came close to you when it comes to these things”- said the old lady. 

Jazz had never once advertised herself as a paranormal investigator, the mockery would be unbearable but that aside, Jasmine finally understood that Madam Joanna Smith had placed all her hopes on her after being refused help despite her huge fortune. 

\- “I understand that what I’m asking for is unreasonable but she’s all I have left in the world, I will pay you $100,000 whatever the results,”- continued the lady as she saw the desire reaction on Jazz. 

“I’ll double it if you bring her back alive, and I’ll even throw in fifty more if you kill the ghost that caused all this mess,”- added the old lady with so much seriousness in her voice that threw Jazz aback for a moment as her eyes widen.

\- “Fine, I’ll take the case, but I need your guarantee that you will accept whatever the results may be, so please don’t get your hope up,”- answered Jazz, there was no walking back now, the redhead accepted under certain conditions mainly push by the large amount of money that was offered to her.

Joanna nodded in agreement as she question - “how soon can you start?”- 

The detective explains it was far too dangerous to start looking in East Town at night, it was like playing Russian roulette with five bullets. Therefore, she would begin the search with the sunrise, with that said Jazz gave her goodbyes as she was given a small business card with Joanna’s personal phone number. 

\- “Please if you find anything, call me immediately,”- said Joanna. 

Soon the detective was escorted to the main gate by the butler, the rain had finally stopped so now the redhead could see the grand splendor of Joanna’s mansion, it was quite the sight, tall Victorian style wall with elegant windows and even some balconies, though her sightseeing was interrupted as they reach the courtyard. 

\- “Please don’t let her down, lady Joanna expects much from you,”- said the mustache butler as he handed Jazz a small envelope, the detective walks out through the main gate after assuring the man that she has never once abandoned a case in her entire career. 

(XXXXX)

The night had started to embrace the city as Jazz walk up to her beaten up car, - “another missing kid case, not gonna be easy”- thought out loud the woman as she climbs aboard while she opens the envelope which contain another ten grand. 

\- “Figures”- continued Jazz as she recalls having realized long ago that the rich and powerful that claim to be the elite of the city only had money, money to buy people with actual power and skill to do what the rich would eventually claim credit for. 

Her ride home was a quiet one, the dark streets illuminated only by the street lights, most shops were already closing even though it was just 8:00 pm, mostly due to the fear of the ghosts that started to roam at night. 

The only few places that remain open slightly late were some restaurants and shops of ill repute, upon arriving at her apartment building Jazz spotted her local pizza place still open, not really feeling like going to bed on an empty stomach.

Jazz headed over there since no delivery boy in their right mind would be out at this time, unable to stay in the restaurant for obvious reasons Jazz took her dinner back home, on the streets she could see some people who were rushing back to their own houses. 

\- “Once this case is solved, I should buy a new car”- said the redhead woman as she crosses the main door into the building. 

She could hear a football game coming from her landlord’s apartment as well as his ranting, probably because his team was losing, the elevator was still out of service, all the offices on the first floor were closed as expected unlike her these workers didn’t live in their offices, upon reaching the second floor she could hear her neighbors still arguing though behind closed doors now. 

\- “Don’t they ever stop?”- questioned Jazz as she finally reaches her floor. 

Upon coming close to mister Anderson’s door she could perceive the strong stench of marijuana - “guess it’s always a party with him”- said the woman as she continues while hearing loud music coming from the man’s apartment. 

The detective was thankful people would lock themselves up early otherwise it would hurt her image if someone saw her walking around with a large pizza box in hand, the woman unlocks her door and re-locks it once she walks in, the place was neatly clean with the exception of her desk, it was the only place Sam never touch, Jazz left her dinner on the kitchen table and quickly walk over to her fridge. 

\- “Last one, better make it last”- said the woman as she took hold of her last beer can and with a couple of slices in her plate the detective sat down in front of her desk as she started to look over the files trying to understand what she got herself into. 

\- “The first victim, male, Caucasian, age 40, Steve Appleton, cause of death, decapitation”- read out loud the detective as she saw the pictures of the man, his headless body was still in the car, the report explains about many deep cuts on his body. 

\- “The second victim, female, Caucasian, age 28, Amanda Smith, cause of death, severe abdominal wound”- continue reading out loud while chewing on her pizza slice. 

The photos of Amanda show her lying on her stomach in the middle of the street. The photographs were quite graphic as it shows the woman’s intestines scatter around, it seems she had even crawl for a little while before dying, leaving a trail of blood and guts. 

\- “Not the best reading material to have over dinner”- said Jazz as she got up for more pizza. 

\- “Poor kid, to lose her parents like this”- thought the detective as she serves herself another slice while she wonders if Joanna had actually seen any of these horrendous pictures. 

After thoroughly reading all the files she headed to her bed as she had finally called it a day. The detective wonder how she could approach the situation, East Town is a very dangerous area at night therefore she might have to venture multiple times if she were to find the kid’s body. 

Jazz had already given up on finding her alive after all no one last more than a day, if Stacy were to somehow have left that part of town, she would have already contacted home by some mean, but two weeks have passed by, it’s only natural to think she’s already dead.

The detective brushes her teeth and swap into her nightgown, she slowly walks over to her window from there she could see the empty streets, no one dare venture into the night, in between the buildings one could ghostly figures flying around. 

Those who could afford a ghost shield or at least a repellent could have a calm and safe night of rest, but those like Jazz had to resource to luck or an anti-ghost gun, soon she turns over to her bed to tuck herself under the sheets, though before falling asleep she took hold of her cellphone setting the alarm at 05:00 am to have an early start. 

\- “Better contact Sam, she must be worried sick”- thought out loud as she was well aware that her gothic assistant would be more than wide awake at this time. 

\- “Hey kid, got us a big job, don’t worry about anything”- read her message, it took mere seconds for Sam to reply. 

\- “Thank goodness you’re ok, I was starting to freak out”- read the text.

The girl’s conversation was brief though Jazz conveniently forgot to mention her mandatory venture into East Town, if Sam would have known of this she would have stuck to her like a leach, in the most kindness way of expressing it, after a few more messages both said their goodbyes, Jazz place her phone on the nightstand next to a picture of a young boy with pitch-black hair and stunning blue eyes. 

The detective took hold of it, - “someday I’ll find you, Danny, good night... wherever you are”.

To be continue


	2. Necropolis

A Detective Tale

Chapter two: Necropolis 

The alarm clock rang loudly forcing Jasmine to jump out of her land of dreams into the harsh reality of Amity Park, with a quick glance the red hair detective looks around the still dark room, she sluggishly made her way into the bathroom and straight into the shower, the water was cold though it wasn’t a novelty in this rundown apartment building. Nonetheless, it serves her as a good wake up call, it took her less than ten minutes to fully shower, she would complain about the water later. 

\- “Why did I agree to this mess in the first place?”- questioned the detective as she dries herself with a semi-clean towel. 

With no more than her briefs and a towel on her head, Jazz walks into her kitchen and reheated the coffee from the previous day, with the drink in her hand she continues to her desk to restudy the most vital parts of the case, after a few minutes she took hold of her city map and a marker. 

\- “There’s the abandoned subway, the school, the hospital, and of course a shitload of buildings, all empty with the exception of the monsters that live there now, better divide this mess”- said Jazz as she started to draw lines in the map and mark the places where Stacy would most likely be found. 

Having given up on finding her alive, Jazz had no hurry to leave, with calm and patience she got dressed in her detective suit, though rather than taking her long coat she instead took a small black jacket, she also took a backpack and began filling it as she verified her equipment. 

\- “Handgun with extra clips... check, knife and bronze knuckles.... check, phone on vibration... check, med-kit... check”- said the redhead as she continues making sure she had everything she needed, though she was armed to the teeth all of that meant nothing against ghosts and other horrors that lurk in East Town. 

For them she had something else, Jazz pulls out a small wooden box from under her bed, in it was a new yet unproven prototype anti-ghost pistol, her “scientists” parent had devolved alongside the ghost researchers, the GZ-2000, it was a long square barrel handgun, its weight was over seven kilograms, therefore, was a very cumbersome tool to use, hard to aim and even harder to use but it was the best she had to go with.

Her wristwatch said it was already 06:00 am, - “better eat something and be on my way”- concluded Jazz as she notices that the only edible she had was the cold leftover pizza from last night, with no more option she ate it and headed outside. 

The night before she had given some instructions to her young little helper so she wouldn’t needlessly worry for her, yet unlike the previous day, her trip to the ground floor was quiet, her neighbor Anderson was sound asleep through the stench of weed was strong, the married couple was for once quiet and the pervert was nowhere to be seen, the lawyers hadn't arrived yet.

The sun still had yet to come out, but at least it wasn’t raining, the detective look to the sky above, there she could see a few eerie shadows flying around almost aimlessly, not wanting to risk it she walks over to her beaten up car, the noise it made was even louder than normal, this because no one else was stupid enough to be outside when it’s still dark. Her files said Stacy’s family car was found on “Nathan Avenue,” corner with “12 street,” the most reasonable place to start her search was there, where everything began.

As she drove down the street she notice the diner she had bought lunch was still closed as well as many more stores nearby, this quiet and empty scenery repeated constantly, a mere decade ago they would have been considered lazy for not opening at 06:00 am, now it was consider common sense to keep all close up until at least 08:00 am, though there was no more 24-hour service anywhere, some shops still open if you knock loud enough, even criminals had to learn the hard way to stay indoors after dark. 

Eventually, she comes across a shop with its lights still on, the sign read “Open,” Jazz stop in front and rang the doorbell, after a few minutes a peephole was open and the man within question what she wanted, though in an unfriendly manner yet not reaching rudeness. 

The woman asks for energy drinks, and package meals such as sandwiches, some granola bars, and some candy, despite all she still had a sweet tooth, the redhead put her shopping in the backpack and continue her way.

Soon she had found herself on Nathan avenue, it took ten more minutes to reach the blockade, people had built a crude barricade not to keep the ghost outside of Amity but to keep its people away from them, it also serves as a cruel reminder of what truly lurks in the dark. 

Jazz had parked the car just a street behind, from her not so comfortable seat she studies the area, there were skid marks on the street leading past the blockade that had been rebuild with wood and a very simple fence, with the sun barely showing its face, the detective steps out and heads over to the barricade, to her sides where empty streets, some random cars park, the lights in the nearby houses and buildings were turn off. 

With more courage than common sense Jazz breach through the wooden blockade.

(XXXXX)

The moment she set foot on East Town, Jazz felt more like stepping into a different world, it was eerily quiet, no signs of anything alive, nevertheless, the detective was cautious to not make any noise as she investigated. 

With light steps she walks a few blocks following the skid marks, soon she spotted where the car had impacted. The vehicle had crashed into the corner of a small brick house, it was obvious the car was no longer there, nor were the bodies but the broken bricks and some small dark stains were proof enough of what had occurred, Jazz slowly walk over to the middle of the streets so she could better analyze the situation. 

\- “So you must have been in the back seat... you crawl out, hurt, confuse and scared, you turn around and saw the monster on top of the car but you didn’t run away, why?”- said almost in a whisper as she held up a photo of the wrecked vehicle. 

\- “Your mom, that’s what stop you from fleeing,”- continued Jazz as she made her way over to a small dark red stain on the floor, the rain and sun had almost removed all of it, but the detective was sure that’s where Amanda had died.

\- “Stacy... you came to help your mom but it was too late”- said the redhead as she turns around while she imagines a huge monster blocking the street, now she had an idea where the girl had run off to. 

She didn’t like the idea of walking any further into this necropolis but her professionalism wouldn’t let her abandon the case even if it was a wild goose chase, at least it was a sunny day, something the ghosts didn’t like one bit.

Jazz imagine the girl running scared while screaming for help, every step she took brought her closer to the old Casper Elementary school, yet as she came to stand in front of the entrance something calls her attention, it was a small shoe laying almost in the opposite direction to the school.

\- “Black leather, child-size, it looks fairly new”- said Jazz as she examines the footwear, she did recall having Joanna mention Stacy having a similar pair, her favorite to be precise.

Before the detective could question herself as to why the shoe was there, she heard a low demonic moan coming from behind her, without any time to think she hastily move almost on instinct behind an abandoned car on the side of the street, from her conceal position she could witness the monster that made such noise, it was a tall humanoid shaped like a starfish, Jazz couldn’t see any face on it but the sun reflected on it much as if it were cover in oil.

\- “I guess Stacy didn’t go into the school... a monster behind her and another one in the closest refuge”- thought Jazz as she considers the location of the shoe she had just found. 

She looks around to see where the girl could have run off to, she notices the street to is long and open, barely anything to use as cover, at that time it had to be filled with all kind of monsters and ghosts, to her left on the same side of the road Jazz could also see an alleyway, it was partiality cover by boxes and debris. 

It was only about a meter wide, yet it seems like anyone could still pass by it with no problems. The moment the starfish monster moves away into the yard, the detective rush into the alley, figuring it had to be where little Stacy had run off to. 

The creature that was following Stacy must have been slow if she had made it this far, as Jazz cross into the alley she notices some slight cracks on the side walls with such evidence she was certain Stacy had escaped from the beast thanks to this small alley. 

She quietly walks down the passage in order to avoid any unwanted attention, the detective found herself in yet another alley though much wider, to her left was a tall brick wall leading straight into the streets, to her right many meters further was a tall bar fence, along the way there were boxes and garbage bins knock over, unsure if it was because of Stacy as she ran away or perhaps the new evil residents who may have passed by.

Jazz observes the knock over stuff trying to determine if her target had gone this way, each step brought her closer to the fence, as cruel as it may be, she had the hope of finding the girl’s body at the end of the alley, even a piece would suffice. 

Though before she could find an answer, she heard a low yet menacing growl coming from behind her, Jazz slowly turns around to see not one but three overgrown humanoid monsters looking at her with a starving face. 

They were taller than the tallest man she had ever seen, their arms were so long they touch the ground, each finger was shaped like a knife, the most horrifying feature was their faceless head, rather than a face they had a huge fang fill mouth that covers the length of the head. 

There were no visible eyes on them but Jazz was sure they could see her, the idea of shooting cross her mind but that would be near suicide as it would be the same as ringing a lunch bell, dozens of creatures would rush towards her in minutes.

\- “Perhaps I can walk away from them?”- questioned Jazz as she moves her feet away from the things while been careful of not starling the monsters.

The woman hadn’t even taken two steps back when the three beasts lung after her shrieking and hissing with their knife-like finger held up high, acting on instincts Jazz pull out her handgun and fired straight into the first monster mouth-head, she immediately ran towards the fence hoping she could climb over it before the creatures could catch her. 

Even though the humanoid was hit in the head it didn’t even slow him down as all three still hurry after the detective, her heart nearly stops as she saw a large barbed wired on top of the fence, all around it was hard and sturdy, she was trapped.

A tall metallic fence in front and monsters behind her, as well as two huge buildings to her side, with a loud yell Jazz, open fire once more as she hastily searches for a way out, in her despair to find an exit she could now hear growling and roaring. 

She was sure more where coming, but luck was on her side she spotted a door on the left side of the wall, the detective rush towards it before the creatures could catch her.

By a small miracle the door opens on the first try, Jazz quickly slams the door on the faceless monster before any could get in, breathing heavy and trying to suck her soul back Jazz observes the inside. 

It was dimly lit, in front was a short hallway barricaded with furniture and a stair set next to it leading to an even darker floor, as the red hair woman finally relax, a sharp blade came through the door right next to her head.

(XXXXX)

Unable to choose Jazz was forced to run up the stairs, not even a second after she reaches the floor above, the monsters slash the door open and rush inside yet the foolish beasts remain downstairs, Jazz study the floor as her eyes adjust to the darkness, to her left was a broom room, some door in front and a long hallway to her right, upon realizing that she was alone with the exceptions of the things below detective Jasmine turns on her flashlight and began searching in the rooms for more clues on the missing girl.

Unsure if the girl had even come here, Jazz had no more option than to keep searching, she needed to find something, anything to prove the girl was either alive or dead, each room she walks held desks and computers, all of them broken beyond repair, most windows had been covered with wooden planks and duct tape, some offices had been barricaded with desk and chairs. Upon closer inspection, she could see some prayers written on the walls, perhaps an attempt at keeping the ghost at bay.

Beyond the obstructed doors she could see a bony corpse lying against the walls, she wonders if they starved to death or took the quick way out, as she reaches the end of the hallway, she came across a brooch laying on the floor, almost as if it were calling out to her. 

Jazz was quick to answer as she took hold of it, she notices it was silk made with a golden ring and an emerald inside, it clearly didn’t belong to anyone who might have work in these offices, it looks far too expensive for just anyone.

There was only one office left she hadn’t checked and next to it another set of stairs leading to the floor below, the office door had some chairs blocking it, but it also had huge windows on the wall, it took little to no effort to move them away, Jazz had high hopes on finding the kid hidden within the room.

Yet the moment she set foot on the office her hopes shatter, there were nearly thirty bodies almost mummified scatter around a large table, as she came closer to a random body on the backside she saw it had cuts on the wrist, the one next to it had a hole on the side of the head, all the corpse had similar wounds. 

Nonetheless, Stacy’s body wasn’t among the dead, once she reaches the other side of the office she found a corpse laying against a second door, it was the body of a woman dress in a suit, in her hand was a gun that she had used on herself, the bullet when through her mouth and out the door quite so literally. 

\- “One gun to face the hordes of hell”- said Jazz as she turns once more to see the mass suicide, - “I guess they must have passed the gun around until there were no more bullets left.”- 

The detective felt pity for these people, they came to work like every day yet none were expecting to end their life in this fashion, unable to find any more clues Jazz had no option rather than to go downstairs where the knife-finger freaks where.

Her steps were light as a feather, she could hear their hissing while they search for their meal, the main door was on the far end of the building adorned with a couple of indoor trees, many couches scatter around, to her left is a large reception, on its back-wall Jazz could read a partial sign.

\- “...Insurance Co...”- read the detective as she mentally fills the spaces.

Crawling behind the reception Jazz started her search in the lower offices, she quietly crawls inside the first room, but all she could find was a simple broken desk and file cabinet with nothing important, the same repeated a few more times in the following rooms. 

The woman was starting to get frustrated especially due to the monsters near her and the ones she had called over with her gunfire. The last room to check was the lounge, thankfully the beasts had moved over to the main door as if observing something more interesting, leaving the lounge door unguarded.

Taking the opportunity Jazz rush into the lounge after seeing if there were any more creatures inside, indeed she found someone, it was a fresh body lying on the floor, the detective took a closer look to it, it wasn’t the one she wanted, it was a teenager around her sixteens perhaps a little older, the girl lay in a puddle of her own blood. Jazz look around as she covers her nose with her hand while she observes the room, the whole place was turn around, tables and chairs were thrown on the floor, the teen had put up a fight before dying.

The dead girl was dress all in black, she had a small leather jacket with a white top that covers only her breast, the skirt was so short it hardly counted as a skirt, the teen also had black knee-high boots and long purple color hair, if Jazz didn’t know any better she would have confused the teen with a prostitute, nonetheless on closer inspection she noticed all her clothes were from expensive brands, on her fingers were golden rings and her earrings had diamonds, none were fake, she clearly came from a rich family.

\- “Why would a rich girl like you come here?”- questioned the detective as she covers her mouth trying to control her disgust and vomit sensations, upon relaxing she took out her cellphone and prepare her camera.

Jazz move her eyes over the girl’s body, she didn’t have any marks on her just two bruises on both wrists and one fatal wound in between her legs, though Jazz didn’t have any vast forensic knowledge she could tell the girl had her genitals torn from the inside out with some sort of serrated blade, she would need an expert to tell her if the cause of death was hemorrhage, shock or god knows what else. 

Even if she wasn't hired to find this particular girl, Jazz felt she should at least inform the authorities about her, someone would be looking for her, with that conclusion she started to take pictures of the body and lounge room. 

\- “Sorry I can’t take you, I got other business to attend to”- apologized Jazz as she was starting to feel uneasy again. 

It was the first dead body she had ever come across and she was already pushing her limit, nausea and the sense of vomit was becoming greater every second that pass, as she turns away from the body the detective notices something on the floor, it was open candy wrappers. She quickly moves over to them; they were many but there were also a couple still closed.

\- “My God, you survive.... but for how long?” questioned Jazz as she stood up and look out through the wood planks on the window.

\- “You hid here, something forced you out... where did you go?”- continued the detective as she saw a few chocolate bars in the middle of the street and a few further up, - “so that’s where you went.” 

Jazz was surprised the kid wasn’t killed on the spot, she actually gathered food and even found refuge, the detective tried to remove some planks so she wouldn’t need to risk going back where the monsters were at, she was sure her gunfire had attracted other monsters to the backside of the building. 

The planks were too hard to move, but there was a small hole where Stacy probably escape, too small for her own use, the only way out is through the main gate, as she turns around, she met with a huge, extremely fat monster standing next to the wall.

The beast was no taller than an average man though morbidly fat, its face was so swollen it covers its eyes, nose and mouth, Jazz tried to slowly move out of the lounge but as she did her eyes scan the beast, his hands had three fat fingers but the most perturbing feature was between his legs, the monster was flashing his penis, it was long with curve spikes all over it.

\- “So that’s what happened”- thought Jazz as she reaches the door.

The fat monster suddenly dashes over her, she knew all too well what would happen if the creature caught her, Jazz had no more option than to ran out, the sudden action calls out to the finger-knifes, who quickly cut her path short, the fat monster seems to have run out of stamina just behind her, Jazz was trap. 

Two monsters were blocking the main gate, another one at least four meters away from her and the fat thing behind her, they barely felt bullets even so she aims her weapon, turning the sights over to the fatso and back to knife-fingers.

\- “Ok, I’m fucked, but if that fat thing catches me it gonna be literal,”- thought the detective as she regretted taken the case.

Slowly and carefully she steps towards the stairs, she was sure she could outrun the fat one but the knife-fingers were faster than her, she would be ripped to pieces if caught, Jazz considers shooting them in the legs in an effort to slow them down at least, in the worst-case scenery she would turn the gun on her, there was just no way in hell she would become like the girl in the loungeroom. 

To her surprise, the creatures seem to have lost interest in her as they were staring at each other while hissing, Jazz wonder if they were arguing or deciding who would kill her, eventually the hissing contest turn into growling and roaring, 

The red hair kept moving away while she observes the monster’s bravado display, the fat creature wiggle his fat arms as the trio threw sparks every time they sharpen the knives they have for fingers, despite the noise the creatures were making Jazz could hear more coming from behind her through the hallway, she knew more were coming now, unknowingly her heel was on top of a half-rotten broomstick, the moment she let her weight on it, the broom snap, the sound was strong.

The knife-fingers took this as a cue for they dash at the fat monster slicing him with no mercy, ignoring Jazz completely, though fat and slow the creature still toss them like rag dolls no matter how many times they attack, Jazz couldn’t risk staying there so she hastily moves over to the main door, she turns for a second only to see more knife-finger rushing through the hall to help their “friends.”

Once outside she still could hear the fighting going on, to her left there were more similar monsters down the street on both side, the same story repeated on the far-right street, trying her best not to alert them to her presence she rushes over to where the candy lay, a few more were just a few more meters upfront. 

Jazz quickly figure the most likely direction Stacy had run off to. It was the first time she had been on her knees for so long, monsters were lurking everywhere, therefore she had to remain hidden as her handgun was nearly useless against them.

Her wristwatch said it was almost 2:00 pm, Jazz was surprised to see how long she had been here, from the moment she left the insurance building to now, she had only met with seal doors and windows, she felt like she had lost the trail.

\- “If I were her, where would I go?”- wondered the detective.

The child had no training whatsoever, she was moving on pure instincts, by what she had found the girl knew she had to keep a steady supply of food, but even so, there was no way Jazz could be sure she was following Stacy’s trail and not someone else. 

\- “She’s scared, hungry and alone...”- thought Jazz as she saw an apartment building next to a gas station.

\- “Gas stations have stores and the apartment building gives shelter, if it were me that’s where I would go to.”- Concluded Jazz as she crawls her way to the station.

(XXXXX)

Monsters were still rather few due to the hour and the blazing sun, but after what she saw Jazz needed to tread carefully, she looks once and twice before moving forward, the crush cars help her along the way, upon reaching the gas station she hid behind an old truck that was parked just next to an entrance. The place had a few pumps most likely empty by now, large broken windows letting the inside be seen, the place seem rather small. 

Confident the place was empty Jazz walks in with the gun in hand ready to either run or fight, as expected the whole place had been ransacked, almost all food and goods had been stolen, even the cash register had been taken, the only thing left was a large safe box under the counter.

Jazz look around for any more clues, the store had nothing left, everything had been stolen, on the back wall is a door leading into a hallway, on the left is the employees room, a bathroom and to the right, a small store depot, on the end of the hall is a door leading to back alley, most likely to the garbage bins, Jazz check the employees room, within she found a desk and a computer on the floor, on the corner she spotted a large red stain on both the floor and wall.

The depot only had some empty racks, the bathroom had a rotten body, thankfully it had been there for years so the smell was almost gone, the backdoor led to an alley, Jazz was sure she had lost the trail, for all she knew Stacy could be in any number of houses she had just pass by already. Little by little more and more monsters had appeared it was as if they could smell her, among the growling there was one that caught her attention more than anything else, her stomach.

\- “It’s already 4 o'clock, no wonder I’m hungry”- said the detective as she took out a sandwich, a granola bar and an energy drink from the backpack.

While the redhead ate, she wonders for how long had Stacy survive, it would be very troublesome to find out she was following the wrong trail all this time, for example, the purple hair girl who was literally rape to death.

Sam had told her rumors about teens daring each other to come here and take selfies at the abandoned hospital as proof they were here, most were stupid enough to actually come at night, Jazz didn’t know if she should feel pity or shame for the needlessly sexy dressed girl. 

\- “It’s getting late, perhaps I should head back?”- asked the detective to herself as she finishes her meal and mark on her map where she was.

The detective kneel down to put her stuff away when she heard an engine coming to the gas station, hidden behind the counter in front of the safe she saw and was left beyond surprise at the sight of a two huge Humvee parking in the middle of the street, it wasn’t an army type, it was more like the type rich showoffs had or gangsters possess. 

A group of muscle men climb down from the cars all dress in classic ghetto street clothes, their faces had meant expressions and their rifles were even more menacing, Jazz didn't understand what was going on. 

Not a second later three more cars appear, though smaller in size, the vehicles seem to be very expensive, from within men in black suits walk out to the gangsters, none seem happy to see each other but they talk for a while. 

Jazz couldn’t make out what they were saying but it didn’t seem like a friendly chat, she took pictures from her conceal position, she didn’t need to be a master detective to figure out it was a drug deal between the local mafia and some street thugs.

It wasn’t a novelty to see criminals around here, some had even tried to claim East Town as their own, yet the new resident didn’t approve of them, even so, every so often some bold enough would venture in this lost part of Amity to do their criminal deeds, the men traded some suitcases and shook hands, the detective sigh in relieve to know they would leave soon, their presence had started to attract the wrong crowd.

\- “Yo bitch!! Get your ass out here!!”- suddenly yell out one of the gangsters.

Jazz had failed to see the thug coming towards her as she had placed all her attention on the criminal meeting, she saw the man holding a Tec-9, a favorite among street criminals, the man kept walking at her while he actually licks his lips as if he were in front of delicious meal, while the rest of men turn their attention over to them, Jazz had to figure out a way to get out of this whole mess before things got ugly.

\- “Yo baby, you lost? I can get yo ass outta here, maybe we can some fun later”- continued the thug as he had the nerve to hold his crotch while he walks around counter, stopping just a few feet from the red hair.

\- “Sorry babe you’re not my type”- replied Jazz as she quickly took hold of the Tec-9 and pull it away from the thug while placing her own gun on the man’s throat.

\- “Easy baby, I’m just playing with ya”- continued the gangster a little more nervous.

Jazz had never threatened anyone with her gun before, to make things worse the rest of his crew and mafia had put her in their sights, though as stupid as they may be to have done this trade in this hellish place, none were dumb enough to open fire since it would call out to all the things, yet tension was on the rise.

\- “Hey girl, drop the gun and come here... we won’t hurt you”- said one of the mafia guys. Jazz wouldn't be fooled; she knew all too well what would happen if she got caught by these maniacs

\- “No can do, I’ll just walk away, no one needs to get hurt”- replied the detective.

\- “Can’t let that happened girl, you saw us so we need to make sure you keep your mouth shut.”- continued the man as he held an empty smile. 

“Maybe we can work some sort of a deal, here”- added the mafia man as he orders his men to lower their weapons. 

The redhead was sure his word was worthless, they would shoot the moment she lowers the gun, the thug in front tried to convince her to deal with them while Jazz tried to figure where to run off to. 

\- “Listen babe, just give it up, it’s gonna be....”- The man was cut short as a long stinger burst out of his chest. 

Blood splatter on the Jazz’s face, her eyes widen as an unnaturally large scorpion crawl around his neck trying to pull his tailback while the thug tries to remain on his feet, push by fear and shock Jazz shot the scorpion splattering it. The thug fell on the ground as Jazz turn over to the criminals with a shock expression on her face.

\- “Og!!! Nooooo!!!!!”- screamed a gangster as he opens fire forcing his fellow criminals to do the same, despite his boss telling them not to. 

Jazz immediately took cover behind the safe box, the wooden counter was being torn to pieces by the bullets, she could swear the whole shop was shaking, the woman held on to the safe as hard as she could, but the steel box starting to bounce, in between the shooting she could now hear shrieking. 

The bullets no longer headed her way, the criminals were now being attacked by knife-fingers, dozens of them, Jazz could only hope they would draw the monsters away as she observes the ongoing battle just a few meters away, though the beasts had started to fall they weren’t backing down for they kept pushing forward.

\- “This is really, really bad”- said Jazz.

Random bullets come her way forcing her to lower her head once more, yet the moment her eyes pass next to the backdoor she saw Knife-finger staring at her with its large head-mouth, behind him a second one was standing also expecting a meal. 

The beast shriek as its lunges over Jazz, who by mere inches manage to dodge the stabbing, she had no more option than run to the apartment building across the street, but that meant going through the monsters and the criminals.

\- “You fucking bitch!!!!”- yelled out a gangster as he tried to shoot Jasmine.

Whether it was luck or chance the thug met his end as he was stabbed through the back by a monster, letting the detective run pass him as a second one tried to gun her down only to fail each shot, the mafia was forced to run off abandoning their cars and the wounded. Meanwhile, the gangsters tried to hold their ground though the result of this fight was already determined. 

(XXXXX)

Jazz didn’t stop for anything as she reaches the apartment complex, the large double door didn’t budge, despair was starting to overwhelm her as she looks around for anyway inside.

To the left, just a little up higher is a large broken window, Jazz turn to see most of the gangster already in pieces, soon the knife-fingers would be going after her, with a loud grunt the detective climbs over the window, hoping no one saw her go in. 

She could still hear the ongoing fighting just outside, the room she climbed in had all doors seal shut with wooden planks, the lobby had most of the hallways barricaded with furniture and the main door had planks all over it, just the stair was left untouched, cursing her lack of options Jazz went up the stairs, the hallway was dark and empty, she could count up to eight doors on both sides of the right-wing and another eight on the left.

Though before choosing where to start her search again, she heard a door on the left-wing creak open, with her gun drawn out Jazz ready herself to run for dear life, that until an old lady walks out the apartment, she looks tired, her clothes were dirty and torn.

\- “Oh, dearie what’s all that ruckus out there?”- questioned the old lady.

-” Just some bad men”- replied Jazz surprise to know there were people living in this godforsaken hellhole.

\- “Those damn hoodlums, come in dear, I’ll call the police”- Said the woman 

Though she doubted the old lady’s’ good intentions Jazz did follow her within the apartment which was strangely clean, they were many candles around the place mostly due to the power cut, her floor had been sweep and mop, the detective took a seat on the couch while she observes how the old woman was trying to contact with the police. 

The bathroom door was open, from her seat she could many buckets, it was obvious that after ten years water would run out, Jazz wonders if the old lady had moved in after the infestation or if she already lived here, which was most likely the case.

\- “I don’t know what’s wrong with the line, it always the same and the building manager is never around”- complained the woman as she took a seat in front of Jazz.

The woman kept on ranting about the phone, the rude new neighbors and the constant gang fighting, Jazz understood the woman was traumatized and most likely was living in a fantasy world, though came as a surprise that she had lasted for so long.

\- “But that new girl, she’s a charmer”- continued the lady as her teapot starting to hiss announcing it was ready to be served. 

\- “New girl?”- asked the detective as she was also begging it to be Stacy.

“Yes, a pretty little blondie, I haven’t formally met her, she’s a shy little thing, always in a hurry but I think she lives in the third floor”- continued the lady as she gave Jazz a cup of tea, - “it’s lemon tea”- 

The red hair thanked her for the drink, the whole shoot-out left her quite so thirsty, she needed a drink, though the moment she looks at the cup she saw hot brown water the very same her host drank with delight as she exclaims how delicious it came out. Jazz couldn’t insult her kind host so she took a few sips, it was disgusting. The fighting outside had ended, no more gunfire could be heard, the woman was sure the monsters wouldn’t follow her since they had a large lunch in front of them.

“Ma’am, where are my manners?”- said Jazz as she pulls out a fake police badge, - “My name is Paulina Sanchez and I’m a police officer”- lied the private investigator as she explains about the missing girl and her description.

The name Paulina came from a girl who had some trouble with Sam, the goth would complain almost on daily basis about her, Jazz didn’t mind since it was the only time she had a normal girly conversation with someone, though now it slightly bothers her to lie to someone so nice like this old lady, but she was tired of beating the bushes.

\- “Oh my, I didn’t know she was lost. I’m sure she’s the girl I saw going up to the third floor but I haven’t seen her in three or four days”- Explained the woman, making Jazz wonder if Stacy was still upstairs, nevertheless it didn’t hurt to go check.

\- “Thank you for the tea and all your help but I really must be going miss....”- said Jazz

\- “Sorry officer, my name is Monica”- replied the old lady as she escorted the detective to the door.

Once in the hallway Monica told her that the stairs were at the end of the hallway, Jazz thank her once more and headed over there. The silence was nerve-wrecking she felt a monster could just pop out from nowhere at any minute. 

The third floor would prove easier to search than expected since the left side of the hallway was thoroughly barricade with furniture, pipes and almost anything the residents could get their hands on, nothing could go through at least nothing alive, to the right were only four doors, just four places where Stacy could hide.

The first room to check had no door, there wasn’t anything at all, not even the bed or the closet, everything had been used on the barricade, each footstep she took left a mark on the dusty floor, it was clear that no one hadn’t stepped inside in many years, unlike most window she had come across the ones here were left intact. Jazz walk up been careful of not showing to much of herself, the window shows the whole street, from there she could see the gas station and of course the battlefield.

She could see all four vehicles and the bodies of at least a dozen men scattered around the street and the sidewalk, the only monsters she had seen till now had gathered by the dozens, who were now happily eating the dead men, Jazz had to keep going if she didn’t want to end up like them. Before going into the second room she spotted something that made her spine shiver, it was a sign painted with a blue marker.

“Help Me”

The writing was childish but it looks somewhat recent, Jazz open the door leading her into the living room which as expected was empty though it still had it furniture, to the right is the bathroom and next to it the kitchen, to her left was the only bedroom, the detective sighs in disappointment when she saw the door had been slash open. 

The cut wood was still whitish so it didn’t happen long ago, the moment she walks in, the first thing she notices was a broken window lead to a catwalk and this to fire ladder, a double bed, a closet and finally a nightstand,

Jazz had come up to another dead end, it was frustrating, but even so, she was sure someone was living here, she shines her light over a few candy wrappers, she also came across some dry blood, it wasn’t much but some had spilled down under the bed, the detective kneel down and carefully look under. There were three small fingers laying on the floor, her initial conjecture was starting to become a reality, the fingers were child size, but one of them had a ring.

\- “This logo is from Joanna’s modeling agency, so this also belongs to Stacy”- said Jazz. 

With just these she could go back to Joanna, her people could run a DNA analysis to prove it was Stacy, though the ring might be enough, even so for a hundred grand, she needs more than some random fingers and a ring that anyone could have picked up. 

With this evidence in a plastic bag and safely tucked away in her backpack, Jazz sat down on the bed to relax, she had run out of options, it was already late but it didn’t feel right to report back with so little.

Joanna was expecting a miracle but the truth is that Stacy had died and the lacerated fingers were proof of it, even if she survived the attack, she would have bled to death, Jazz had considered returning back home and try again tomorrow, but she already had two near-death encounters. 

So perhaps just delivering what she found and collecting lesser than the promised reward would be for the best, she turns over her head and saw a journal half cover under the pillow, it was a diary. 

“That new whorehouse is awesome, hot bitches and low prices they even let me in for free just because I installed the new generator. Free drinks and all”- read the dairies first entry

As she read through the pages she could only find more about the man’s ventures into the brothel, the more she read the more illegal the place seems, apparently it was invitation-only, suddenly a card felt out, it was from the brothel it read “Bunny House.” 

The place didn’t seem to be far from here. Considering it was the only reading material it was normal to think Stacy also read it during her stay here, though before putting the dairy away she notices the last few entries were less warm. 

\- “Shit went crazy, they’re actually monsters outside, I saw a huge pig with human face eat some guys”- read the woman as she lay down on the bed now more interested.

\- “Two days of this shit, I can hear them outside, they’re waiting for me.”- Continued another entry. 

Jazz heard about people being trapped in their own houses, many were eaten in their own bedrooms, perhaps the man suffered the same fate, sure he was a pervert that enjoyed borderline illegal entertainment, but that didn’t mean he should be eaten alive.

-” Fuck this shit, I can’t stay here, no food or water, I get along with the club owner, he’ll let me in, that place is built like a fucking fortress, it underground with a secret door, the store is just a front so the monster will never find me, they’ll have lots of food, it just around the corner”- continued reading the detective.

\- “I came up with a plan and the club is just on the corner, but it might as well be on the moon”- read the last entry on the dairy. Jazz wonder if he succeeded in his escape, she also wonders if Stacy had tried the same. 

\- “I’m sure Stacy doesn’t understand many of these words so maybe she thought it’s some sort of bunker”- wondered Jazz as she rested her eyes while wondering if it’s wise to keep searching. 

She had already chosen to call it a day, it would take her a couple of hours to go back if she hurries, she could get out of East Town before dark. The moment she opens her eyes she notices everything had gone dark, she hastily moves over to the window and could see the full moon in all her glory.

Her blood froze and her sweat was cold, she had fallen asleep at the worst of times, the streets below were so dark it seems like a black sea of nothingness, but she could hear the growls and moaning of the infernal demons that live down there.

\- “How can I be so stupid, why did I fall asleep”- said a terrified Jazz as she picks up her backpack and headed out the door, - “maybe Monica will let stay at her apartment?”- 

The moment she came near the stairs she was stopped dead on her tracks, without a moment to think she hid just around the corner, her worse fear had come true, just a few steps down was a bright neon green ghost dress just like the grim reaper, the legless entity floated above the stairs as it made its way up. 

Jazz had no more option than to go back into the apartment, as she did a second ghost had started to phase through the bathroom, and third was already on the living room window.

Jazz would be found if she remained in the apartment, her only option was the fire ladder, as she rushes into the room and over the window, she could see a fourth ghost phasing through the bed, it was almost as if they could smell her. 

Cursing her bad luck, she climbs down as quickly and quietly as she could, upon reaching the ground she looks up, the ghost was coming outside, she was certain they could sense her, she was being hunted.

\- “Now what?”- questioned the detective as she pulls out her anti-ghost gun.

She could see a parade of horrendous beasts on the streets all looking for food, there was no way out for her, both sides were block by monsters and the ghosts upside she could almost feel their claws ripping her to pieces.

\- “Johnny-boy, where are you?!!”- suddenly yell out a man to the far right.

The monsters and even ghosts rush over to the man as he opens fire with his rifle, Jazz had only one option open now, to run to the brothel hopeful the pervert was right and the place was built like fortress, she could hear the mafia man screaming for dear life as the creatures ate him with delight, upon reaching the corner she turns around to the see who had to offer his life but all she could see was a large mass of bodies fighting over the meal.

The ghosts also join in but they had no intentions of sharing anything as they started to toss the monsters like simple rats, the very same that had Jazz on a death grip many times earlier that day, though by the time they had reached the man he was no more than a lump of meat.

(XXXXX)

Jazz slowly open the door and walk inside begging there weren’t any creatures inside, once within the shop the first thing she notices was the Bunny House logo on the counter, therefore, she was sure she was in right place, but she expected something more discreet considering the illegal brothel in the basement.

The store in question was a porn shop, adult magazines were scattered all over the floor along with adult toys of all kinds, forms and shapes, Jazz ignores the obscenities as her personal well-being was far more important.

The first place to check was the employees’ room, the most likely place to put a secret door, as she opens up the door, she was greeted by a hanging man, he was already skeleton with some hard almost mummified skin, he had taken his own life. 

Jazz ignores the lifeless man as she began to search, the lockers and the floor, as well as the walls, were all solid, the door wasn’t here, the bathroom was her next option but it proved to be fruitless, the only thing there was a broken toilet.

More desperate than ever she began to rip the posters off the walls in hopes she would find the secret door, soon she heard loud thuds coming from outside thinking fast she hid under the counter waiting for whatever monster outside to leave, just as her luck was beginning to run out she notice a button with a bunny logo, perhaps she was pushing her luck a little too far, but the moment she presses the button the floor behind her open up revealing a set of stairs.

\- “I can’t believe it still has power”- murmured Jazz as she hurries downstairs.

The door at the end had the Bunny House logo, Jazz carefully walks through into a small room with a desk, a sofa and some plant pots and of course a second door next to the desk. The detective wonder if people were frisk before going in, with her pistol in one hand and her anti-ghost handgun in the other Jazz walk into the brothel.

Jazz was taken aback by what she saw, the woman was expecting to see a large hallway with multiple doors but instead, she walks into some sort of well-lit strip-club, to her right on the wall was a well-equipped bar with stools and all kinds of drinks, in the middle is a large pole dancing stage surrounded by tables and chairs, on the left are bathrooms. 

After a quick check, all she found in the bar were empty and broken bottles, turned down tables and chairs even the bathrooms were empty, Jazz turns her attention to the stage, once on it she could see properly see the club.

\- “So, this is what strippers see every night”- said the woman as she spins around the pole and made a pose.

Grateful no one could see her foolery Jazz headed to the backstage, but all she found were broken mirrors and knock over dressers, some overly erotic lingerie scatter over the floor along many bills, on her right next to a bunch of lockers she could see a hallway, on the right of the hall was a door leading back into the club but on the left of it was fill with many doors.

\- “I guess the clients could choose the girl they like from the stage and bring them back here”- said Jazz as she walks into the hallway. 

The first door she saw had a sign that read manager, the owner most likely would want to be near the action, the room as expected was fill with posters of nude girls, lingerie and the such hanging from perch, there was, of course, a large fancy desk with a family portrait and a computer over it, a leather chair with a file cabinet next to a black sofa, finally on the opposite of the couch was a large display of monitors, all without power, Jazz notice some blood stains the desk as well as some drops on the floor.

\- “I wonder if these are from Stacy”- wondered the detective 

Whoever was bleeding here was desperately searching for something to help stop the hemorrhage, Jazz walk around the desk there she saw all the drawers open, within most held only papers and files though the top drawer had condoms, the detective had an idea of how he interviews the girls. As she relaxes on the chair the woman notices a catalog under a bunch of papers, it was rather large, she flips through the pages with certain disinterests. 

It was filled with photos of girls, some even had the word “sold” written on them, Jazz realize just how illegal this operation was, the owner was not only managing a prostitution ring, but he was also selling woman much as if they were cattle, it was surprising how such a place could operate in Amity Park for god knows how long, it seems too well organized, perhaps the mafia had their hands in this. Feeling somewhat obligated to, the detective pry opened the computer with her army knife and remove the hard drive.

\- “I guess I can take a look later on, perhaps someone is still searching for a love one”- said Jazz as she packs the drive and the catalog while taking out a granola bar. It was a cruel thought but maybe she could find where some of the girls went to, contact the families and charge a small fee for her time. 

Jazz wasn’t running a charity she knew that her hundred grand would run out eventually, and she would be in need of money again, clients like Joanna come once every few life times, the hard drive and catalog would give work for some time though she had to admit that her sense of justice was strong and would charge only if the girl was alive, Jazz turn over to the family photo that rested on the desk.

\- “I hope you were eaten, you sick bastard”- said Jazz as she picks up the family photo. 

The man seems like your average Joe, he had a wife and two beautiful daughters, such a happy picture didn’t ease Jazz’s anger as she still hopes he had suffered a horrible death. The detective wonder if the man would have felt anything if his family had ended up in a place like his club or if he would have put them to work here if they cross him, people like the club owner hardly counted as a human for such evil was not natural.

The detective stood up and began following the blood drops, the red carpet made it hard to see but all she had to do was take a harder look, each door she passes by made her imagine the sick and deprave things that took place. 

She didn’t have anything against sex but what happened behind those doors didn’t count as such, soon she found herself just a few rooms from the end of the hallway, the trail led her to a door with bloodstains on the handle.

With her gun in hand, Jazz slowly open the door, she quickly notices that the light was turn on, the only thing within was a dirty bed with no sheets, on it was a small child, with soft steps the detective walk closer still aiming at the body, she had to be sure it wasn’t a trap from the many monstrosities that lurk in East Town. 

(XXXXX)

The child had long blonde hair, wore a white frill dress though now horribly torn and stained with all kinds of filth, she had no shoes and her socks were in the same conditions has her dress, Jazz could see the kid was very malnourished, she took out the photo Joanna had given her and compared it with the body on the bed, even if she was sure of who the kid was.

\- “I found you kid.... good job... you made this far kiddo”- said Jazz as she caresses the girl’s blonde hair.

Stacy slowly open her eyes, she was too tired to talk but her breathing was now long and heavy, Jazz was shocked to see the girl was still alive after nearly two weeks in hell while surrounded by unspeakable horrors. 

After helping her sit up, the blonde girl motion with her hand a clear sign for food, the detective instantly removes her backpack and gave the kid one of her sandwiches as well as an energy drink, the moment Stacy saw the food her eyes widen as she quickly took it from Jazz.

The girl ate almost with despair, each bite hardly fitted in her mouth, as she ate the detective notice a bunch of different color cloths on the girls left hand, therefore she pulls her backpack closer to them and pulls her med-kit out, without asking for permission Stacy took the last sandwich in the bag and began to eat it much calmer, Jazz could only smile as the girl was finally recovering some life in her eyes.

\- “Stacy, sweetheart my name is Jasmine Fenton and I’m a private investigator, your grandmother hired me to find you and take you home”- said Jazz as Stacy smile long and wide. The girl knew her nightmare was near an end. 

\- “I’m gonna remove this and put a proper bandage”- continued the detective.

The redhead began to take off the improvise bandaging, the moment she took the first piece off she notices it was a G-string follow by a miniskirt, it was clear there were no proper medical supplies in this kind of joint, she would be surprised if there were at least condom dispatcher somewhere around here.

\- “Pretty smart to tied it down with this underwear.”- said Jazz as she removes the final piece. 

The girl was missing three fingers, she only had her thumb and index finger left, by the looks of it something had chopped almost half her hand in a single clean cut, Jazz noticed it had started to developed gangrene, without any medical care she could develop blood poisoning very soon, the detective put her hand on Stacy’s forehead and discover she had a high fever.

\- “Here sweetie, eat this”- continued Jazz as she gave her an anti-febrile

The redhead knew she had to take Stacy back as soon as possible, but with all the walking horror shows just above their heads and the girl’s current conditions it would be extremely dangerous, all she had in her medkit were half a bottle of alcohol, some disinfectant and bandages along with some medicine. 

\- “When did this happened”- asked the detective, trying her best not to startle the girl as she also gave her some painkillers.

Stacy looks at her; the girl’s eyes were empty. The blonde explains how earlier that morning she had gone out for food when a monster with knives instead of fingers chase her back to the apartment building she was hiding at, though she manages to put distance between them, the beast still cut half her hand off as she escapes from the third floor and climb down the fire escape ladder, she was so terrified she didn’t notice she had lost half her hand until she found the club.

\- “How long have you been?”- questioned the detective very impress at the girl’s will to live.

\- “About a week... maybe more... there was some food and water here but it ran yesterday”- answered Stacy.

\- “How did you find this place?”- kept questioning the detective. Jazz wonder if she was doing the right thing by making her talk so much but she was also afraid the girl might not open her eyes again she fell asleep.

\- “Well I was hiding in some office place and a huge fat monster with a scary dick chase me out”- said the blonde as she lifted her right arm up high.

\- “Dick?”- murmured the detective as she had realized that Stacy had been reading adult magazines in this club or more liking from the shop upstairs.

\- “And I ran away, I lost my brooch...”- said the tired girl as she lay down.

\- “But when I got out, there were a bunch of monsters but, but he saves me and told me about this apartment building, and started fighting the monsters if it weren’t for him I would be dead”- said the girl a little more cheerful. Jazz look stun, to know they're more people actually living in this hellhole and what’s more some even fight against the creatures with their bare hands. 

\- “Can you tell me, who He is?”- Asked the detective.

\- “I don’t know his name but he's super cool, he’s got long white hair but looks really young”- said the girl

The more Stacy describe her “hero” the more it sounded like some sort of teenager, suddenly the girl went quiet as they both heard gunfire coming from the dance floor, Stacy yells cheerfully as she asks if it was a rescue team, but Jazz knew that Joanna wouldn’t have sent a team to follow her, it didn’t make sense. The detective orders the girl to stay put while she checks what was going on, armed and ready for the worse, Jazz made her way to the club barely opening the door. 

She could see mafia men and gangsters shooting at something but she couldn’t see what, the men all terrified quickly took cover behind tables as they waited for the creature to enter, some were giving orders, while the rest prepare for battle. 

Jazz felt a little bump on her side, promptly moving her head she discover that Stacy had followed her in hopes of seeing the rescue team she had been waiting since this nightmare began.

Both girls watch in horror as the door was burst open letting a girl in rags rush in, the mafia and the gangster shot at the incoming girl but each time they hit her it sounded just like the clanking of metal, she leaps above the men heads and began slicing, one by one the criminals were being butchered. Jazz soon heard a whimper forcing her to see Stacy who had piss herself in sheer and utter fear, she was shaking while she holds her half hand tightly to her chest. 

\- “My God, it’s her”- said the blonde girl.

Jazz observe how the girl had taken a moment to breathe on top of the stage, she wore an old dirty dress that barely covers her, Jazz notice she was barefooted, her hair long and blacker than night. The creature turns over to the detective, revealing she had no face at all.

\- “That thing killed my mommy and daddy.”- said Stacy who had started to cry.

\- “It looks like some sort of porcelain doll; I can even see where the joints are.”- Whispered Jazz

(XXXXX)

The beast charged towards them, Jazz took hold of the little girl and rush towards the stage as the monster crush into the hallway, the surviving thugs began shooting at the doll while they yell obscenities, the detective took this chance to escape from the club, she had hope to wait till dawn before trying to run away but the whole situation had changed. She could see how the bullets bounce off the monster, she was unstoppable, even rifle bullets couldn’t do anything against it.

The detective picks up Stacy and carried her upstairs, both girls could still hear the agonizing screams of pain coming from the within the club, the moment she closes the hatch Jazz saw a great number of knife-fingers just outside the shop. 

With a loud shriek they toss themselves through the window, having been found Jazz open fire at the monsters though to very little effect, knowing they would be trapped for sure if they stay indoors.

Jazz took the risk of going into the streets, the very same that was now packed to the brim with monstrosities, the detective toss Stacy over her shoulder and began running as the hordes of hell gave chase, even among the shouting and the girls crying, Jazz heard as clear as day when the doll broke through the shops wall, large pieces of wall fell over some monsters as the doll dash towards Jazz and her little new friend. 

The detective's heart nearly stopped as she saw the beast slicing any other monster that dare stand in her way, the doll didn’t look threatening what’s more it actually looks charming though now it was cover in the blood of not so innocent people.

After miraculously running for two blocks while dodging monsters Jazz was already on her last breath forcing her to stop, the woman was sweating by the buckets and her thighs were on fire, she looks to her left, there was a group of fat demons blocking the alley where she had come from, to her right were barricaded shops, just a block behind her was the doll who was now busy with some knife-fingers, she forces her legs to move forward before any more hideous things charge at her. 

The sight of an unnaturally huge pig monster made itself present, the creature had the face of a man, it was as big as truck, with the biggest tusk she had ever lay eyes upon, something told Jazz it wasn’t a vegan, Stacy bury her face into the detective's chest, she couldn’t see the beasts around her but she knew they were there.

\- “Die, you freak!!!!”- screamed a man in a suit as he empties his rifle.

Jazz turns her head towards a man who no longer had a left arm, he now sported several cuts on his chest and one large slice on his face going over his right eye, the mafia enforcer wasn’t trying to save either of the girls he just wanted revenge for what had happened to him and his friends. 

The beast also turns its attention to the man as it ready to ram him. Jazz had recognized the street she was in, just around the corner she would find the gas station and the thug’s cars, her only way out.

Almost as if on cue the fat monster rush towards the girls as the pig crush the mafia man into the wall, Jazz ignore the burning sensation in her legs and dash behind the pig monster, but not without shooting a couple of rounds on the fat monsters, as expected they barely felt the bullets yet it gave the detective enough time to slide away.

\- “She’s coming after us”- yelled out Stacy.

The doll was done killing the other monsters but hadn’t forgotten about them, Jazz twist on her spot and landed her last two round on the dolls face just moments before catching them, the first bullet bounce off as expected but the second actually crack her porcelain skin, leaving her stunned for a moment, but even after this very small victory Jazz heard an eerie moan coming towards her, the detective managed to dodge an incoming charge by a ghost.

Stacy’s screaming was starting to get on Jazz’s nerves but she had much more serious problems than that, the ghosts were attracted to the sound of battle, the redhead had to put her blonde charge on the ground as she was forced to pull out her GZ-2000. 

Stacy grasp on to the detective’s coat as hard as she could, each shot sounded almost like cheap sound effects from old sci-fi movies, but the recoil was so powerful the gun jerk over her head every time she shot, in a matter of minutes dozens of ghosts had started to fly above the girls.

The monsters around wouldn’t dare approach in actual fear of the ghosts, it was a true miracle none of these freaks got along, otherwise, both of the girls would have died long ago, Stacy desperately tried to open the Humvee door as they approach it but it was tightly sealed, Jazz had forgotten how many shots the GZ hold, so she made sure to make every single round count, but no matter how many times she fires, the ghosts would only get pushed away for a few seconds before trying to get them.

\- “Miss Jasmine!!! this one’s open!!” yelled Stacy at top of her lungs. 

Jazz push the girl inside as she had absolutely no time for courtesies, the detective turns to see the green ghost charging at her, the woman fires her last round on the specter’s empty face pushing it back. Closing and locking the door the woman urgently searches for the car keys, but as she did she came across a button with a ghost painted on it.

“Oh, please let it be what I think it is”- pleaded Jazz as ghost landed on the front of the car while she pushes the button.

From the hood came out an antenna that shot a green electric ray towards the ghosts, the specters yell a ghostly wail that resounded in all of East Town, Jazz was sure the someone from the city had seen this mess. 

Perhaps there was already a rescue operation underway, but even so, she couldn’t wait for it, once the ghosts had been “spook” away by the ghost repellent, she would have to deal with the monsters and the doll creature.

Resuming her search for the keys she notices less and less ghosts were approaching the car she knew she was running out of time, Jazz finally found the keys hidden in the glove box, she turns her scare eyes towards Stacy to tell her everything was going to be just fine, she notices the girl was clutching her left hand fiercely, she was recovering sensitivity that mean her adrenaline rush was running out, she might even go into shock.

The moment Jazz turn the vehicle on, a loud and powerful roar shook the land, both girls turn their attention to the doll who rush towards them at full speed, though faceless Jazz knew she was piss as hell at her. 

Without a moment pause the redhead put the car in the reverse and barely dodge the strike, the doll fell over on some monsters while the ghosts still try to attack the car only to get zapped away by the ghost repellent.

Quickly shifting gears, the detective drove away as the doll monster began to chase them down, though she managed to outrun the majority of the monsters only the doll was relentless in her pursuit. Jazz looks over to her side mirror and saw the beast was losing stamina as the distance between them had become larger. 

(XXXXX)

From out the shadows, a pig monster runs in front of the car, Jazz pulls to her left but the creature still hits the side making the car wiggle for a moment though the detective regained control she saw something even more terrifying in the rear-view mirror. 

\- “The bitch just climb on the car!”- yelped the detective as she fires at the doll with her SR9.

Jazz only cracks her face because the monster had been already shot by the thugs, she was lucky but her luck was running out. The monster had climb up to the top of the car despite been shot in the legs, Jazz tried to shake the doll off while dodging hungry monsters that also tried to climb unto the car.

\- “Hold on real tight Stacy!!!”- ordered Jazz as she saw a speed bump.

The car violently jump at the bump, as it hit the ground the doll also hit the car’s rooftop making a large dent upon it, the monster roar though rather than threatening it sounded more like a cry of pain, Jazz was now losing speed as the car began to jerk though Stacy had no idea of how cars work she knew it wasn’t good. 

Jazz reload her handgun with her last clip, after this she would be completely unarmed, the doll monster started to rip open the rooftop, the blonde girl was reliving the moments when she lost her family and the detective recalled all the photos of the aftermath.

Just as Jazz prepare to fire her last few rounds, the vehicle suddenly stops both girls went pale with fear, the doll looks straight at Jazz almost as if she was savoring at the meal to be, the detective knew her puny handgun would do little to nothing against this creature.

\- “I just had to buy the small 9 mil”- whispered the woman

The doll monster shrieks as it rises its arm to the sky, but a single second before it attacks, someone threw a pipe right through where the mouth of the creature should be. Jazz looks at the rear-view mirror but all she could see was darkness, the beast was shocked as it effortlessly tried to remove the pipe but it was losing all strength. 

The detective kept her gun aim at the doll but the monster soon fell over to the side of the road right next to the driver’s side door, it soon began twitching and convulsing, it may be a spawn of hell but even something that hell spat out had it limits, the redhead looks at it, drew her gun out the window and shot it twice.

The bullets cause a slight crack on the doll, at that moment she could hear hissing and low growling, the monsters were coming to them. Stacy was terrified so much Jazz fear the girl might try to run away, on the corner she could see a street sign though dark a hard to see she read what it read.

\- “Nathan Avenue”- said Jazz as she turns over to Stacy. 

\- “Listen, sweetheart, if the car doesn’t start, get ready to run. It’s a straight line from here”- the detective explains as she hopes she had read the sign right.

As she turns the key, she heard the engine start-up, both girls smile long and wide but as Jazz turn the lights on, she found out that they were standing in front of a small crowd of monsters, the woman shifted into first gear and charge against the creatures as she yells. 

The car was hit hard by the monsters, some dodge and some others slash at the sides but even so, the woman broke through the line, Stacy cheer as they crumble the beasts that impeded their exit.

Jazz had completely forgotten about the person who saved them, though to be fair she was far more concerned in getting out as she dodges the rampaging creatures while the ghost repellent zaps away any ghost that came too near, the girls heard heavy stumping. 

From within the darkness, a pig monster had joined the chase at full speed. Being forced to constantly change streets due to crash vehicles and thick mobs of monsters as well as the pig monster on her tail.

Jazz had returned to Nathan Av. There she could see the barricade thanks to her headlights, the pig was still behind snarling, its attention was solely on the car in front of it. The detective started to slow down letting the monster come closer, almost letting it touch the car.

\- “Here goes nothing”- said Jazz as she gave a sharp turn.

The clumsy beast follows only with its head, tripping on its forelegs, losing its balance and crushing unto the barricade, Jazz took this chance to slip through the exit, as she did so do the alarm sirens that were set off. The pig monster got up even angrier than ever before as it retook the chase, even though they were out from East Town it didn’t mean they were danger-free.

Jazz took her phone and began dialing Joanna’s number while dodging the beast, soon she heard police sirens coming her way, she knew they could help but she also knew she might be arrested, going into East Town isn’t exactly illegal but to bring a huge monster with her is. 

A few blocks away she could see the police blocking the street with their patrol cars, Jazz made a very sharp left turn, once more the beast fell onto the ground as the detective made her way out through a small alleyway that the car barely fit. She could hear the gunfire coming from behind her, followed by the roaring of the pig monster.

\- “Hello? Who is it?” said a voice through the phone. Jazz didn’t notice she had pressed the call button; she immediately took the phone to her ear and explain her situation to Joanna. 

\- “Is Stacy ok?!- the old woman asks cutting Jazz off.

\- “No, she’s not, she needs a doctor urgently.”- replied the detective, though before she could tell her about a safe place she knows Joanna gave her an order.

\- “Bring my granddaughter here at once!!”- said the old lady as she also mentions her neighbor is a doctor.

Jazz knew it would be dangerous to remain in the streets as the nearby ghosts were starting to be attracted to the sounds of battle, but that also meant there would be much less than normal as they would gather at the fight. The redhead speeds over to the mansion, even if she wanted to be discreet and not call the attention, no one in their right mind would be in the streets at four in the morning. 

Stacy was no longer crying but she was now breathing very hard, the entire bandage on her hand was bloodstain as she couldn’t let it go due to the fear, worse yet was the ever-growing pain but her mind was going numb.

(XXXXX

Joanna was desperately running through her mansion knocking on her servant’s doors and waking everyone up with the yells of “my granddaughter is coming home!!” Some maids look out the window to see it was still dark and wonder if she had gone insane with worried but still got out of bed. 

The old lady shakes one of her maids who was still sound asleep and order her to call her neighbor, Mr. Robert and to have him come over as soon as possible, after that she head out the main door straight to the guard booth where her two “highly trained and disciplined” guards were sleeping in their chairs.

\- “Wake up!!!”- yelled Joanna making her men jump from their chairs into the soldier position of attention.

She orders them to get ready to open the gate and set the ghost shield at maximum power, her attention was drawn to the gate as a man in his late fifties was waving his hand, Joanna personally open the side door for him as she explained how the private eye had found her granddaughter but was very hurt and needed his attention once they got here.

\- “The greedy bitch actually found her... I am impressed”- whispered one of the guards to his partner before he ran off to fully power the ghost shield.

The minutes went by as the staff looks around losing hope even the doctor was starting to doubt Joanna’s words, but all of a sudden they heard ghostly laughing though such sounds were a clear sign of bad luck now they actually announce the girl’s arrival. Their beat-up car made a sharp turn around the corner making the old woman open her eyes in delight.

\- “Open the gate!” -ordered Joanna.

Jazz floored the breaks as she crosses the gate, her tires burst and the car jumps a couple of times before stopping completely, without a moment to breath Jazz ran out of the car and around to the side door, all the staff, the doctor and Joanna ran to the car. 

Their expressions were only natural once they lay eyes on the wounded little seven-year-old blond, one of the guards took hold of Stacy as the doctor instructed him to take the girl inside, the detective finally had a moment to rest. The ghosts that were following the girls crush on the ghost shield.

\- “Good morning, ma’am, I hope you don’t mind but I’m taking a nap”- said Jazz before collapsing on the ground in front of Joanna.

To be continued


	3. A stroll in the City

A detective tale

Chapter three: A stroll in the city

Danny Phantom Fanfiction  
Danny phantom and all its characters belong to Butch Hartman  
This is a work of fiction hope you all like

The sun was shining bright on Amity Park, its residents had started off their day with the sounds of the sirens made by the police cars, earlier that morning someone had dared to go into East Town, it seems this person had made a whole mess there and ended up startling the monstrosities, the incident had become the gossip of the morning as the residents waited impatiently for the morning news, some people were already been interview by either the police or the news crew about what they had seen.

\- “It was crazy, like something from a movie.” said a supposed witness. 

\- “Some monster broke through the fence and a car follow up”- said another witness.

Though many saw the car, no one saw where it went, everyone had their eyes on the fight between the pig monster and the police forces, the news crew were covering the scene as they also commented on the previous attack that had occurred only two weeks ago, though the main show has been held in Nathan Avenue, some people in a fancy manor own by a rich woman were watching the show in living room television set. 

The maids, butlers and even the only two guards in the manor were all very impressed by the actions of their guest who rested in one of the rooms of the left-wing, within the said room a red hair woman slept quietly in a huge bed under the caring gaze of a brown hair maid.

Without warning the redhead detective sprung up on the bed, her eyes wide open as she started to look around while breathing heavily, the maid was even more shock at the woman´s sudden action, though she quickly composes herself and made her way towards the frightened woman, the moment she caught sight of the maid the first question that came to mind was.

\- “Is Stacy ok? Where is she?” started to question the detective.

With a closer inspection Jazz notice, the maid that was looking out for her was the same one that receives her when she was first introduced to ma’am Joanna, the maid was dress in a classic Victorian style uniform, her brown hair was short, her face was clear of imperfections though a little plain yet her eyes were soft. 

The red hair woman also took notice of the room she was in, it was huge, her own apartment could fit twice in here, the windows were long and wide, with long white curtains, the bed she rested in was also vast, at least six people could easily fit in with space to spare, the walls were painted in pastel blue and the antique furniture made the finishing touch.

\- “Thanks to you miss Stacy is out of harm’s way and she’s currently been attended by the doctors in her own living quarters”- responded the maid with her elegant tone.

Jazz laid down on the bed far more relieve to know the child was now safe in her house, both women look at each other with gentile expression, the maid asks the detective if she would like to have breakfast, though before she could answer her growling stomach did so for her.

\- “Yes, I’ll have some breakfast, but before that can I have my clothes back”- replied the detective as she saw that she was only in her underwear.

The maid did a curtsy as she told her guest that she back in a few minutes, she explained that they had to remove her clothes so the doctor could check if she wasn’t injured in any way, but told her that she only had some minor cuts and bruises, the maid assured the detective that the worse she had was extreme fatigue and no true harm had come to her, though Jazz appreciated the attention she was far more concerned with Stacy wellbeing as the brown hair girl step out, as Jazz stood up she felt her legs heavy so were her shoulders, and arms the only thing she felt light was her head. 

It was the first time she was this tired, while she walks over to the window she could feel the softness of the rug under her bare feet, the garden as expected was in perfect conditions, the sunshine as if nothing had ever happened, life kept going on. It still seems as if all that happened the day before was just a horrible nightmare.

\- “Here’s your clothing detective”- said the maid as she handed the garments back. The woman took notice that there was new underwear on the pile of clean and recently press clothing, she couldn’t help but blush. 

\- “About this I’ll...”- though before Jazz could finish her sentence.

\- “Courtesy of the house”- replied the maid knowing all too well that the detective was been embarrassed about it. Jazz had put on her black pants, white blouse, and waistcoat, though for a moment she considers wearing her holster and handgun, but that would be of bad manners. 

Soon she was been escorted to the dining hall, the maid who guided her was also carrying her backpack, Jazz wasn’t sure if she should ask for it back or if it would seem rude, upon opening the dining-room door she was greeted by two more maids and butler who pull out a chair for her, the red hair felt slightly uncomfortably with all these posh surroundings, even though it was just a friendly breakfast her client had to prepare for her, nevertheless, she still felt her manners were been put to the test. 

Though her breakfast was beyond delicious it all come slightly awkward since she was surrounded by the maids and the butler who look at her with calm and stoic stares, as she finishes eating the butler told her that Joanna was waiting for her in the office, once more the brown hair maid led the way while carrying her backpack. 

\- “Good morning detective, first of all, thank you so much for your help, I knew I could count on you”- said Joanna who had hastily walked over to the detective to shake her hand.

As the meeting with the madam went on, Jazz gave her report on the case, she explains how and where she had found little Stacy though she had a hard time explaining about the porn shop and the underground brothel where the blonde child had found refuge, even if she didn’t want to she had to explain about the car she had “borrow” in order to escape. 

The old lady knew Jazz didn’t possess such an expensive vehicle with so many modifications, even if Joanna hadn’t directly dealt with the mafia she did recognize some of the markings on the side door, therefore, Joanna agree to have the car dispose of immediately as to avoid any sort of unwanted trouble with the wrong crowd. With the child safe in the house and the report had been given Jazz could now say case closed.

The detective had finished giving her report to Joanna, even so, she offered to send a full written one once she had returned to her office, the old lady declined for she had what she wanted so there was no need for more details, the redhead said her goodbyes once she was paid in full, though she would have like to say goodbye to Stacy, the child was still sleeping, thankfully the doctors manage to get her out of danger nevertheless she was going to be send to the Amity hospital just be sure. 

The woman was escorted to the garden by the butler who kept on saying just how amazing she is, once they came near the guard booth she saw the same rude guard who receives her the first time, the man took off his sunglasses as he smiles.

\- “Good job detective, wanna have a drink later? Just to celebrate”- said the guard as he opens the door.

Jazz kindly decline the offer though to go out drinking in order to celebrate wasn’t uncalled for, she had much to celebrate after all she had successfully venture into East Town, rescue the girl minus some fingers, got herself over two hundred grants far more than enough to pay off her debts and buy herself whatever she wanted. She even wonders what kind of car she should acquire now that she could afford one, though the moment she thought of the car she remembers having left her own very near East Town, it would be for the best that she got it back as soon as possible.

This of course before the police came knocking on her door and she had to come up with a large number of excuses for her beaten up old beetle to be parked just a block from the East town and considering the mess that took place already things would get ugly.

(XXXXX)

From within the office Joanna watch her P.I leave the manor, the old woman was more impressed than she had initially stated, she had lost all hopes of ever finding her granddaughter but this almost nameless private eye had done what many consider impossible though she wasn’t cheap.

\- “Madam, maybe we should consider hiring miss Jasmine on a more permanent base perhaps as a bodyguard for Miss Stacy, despite her young age she is truly skilled”- said the butler as he serves Joanna a cup of tea.

As far as they knew or rather thought, Jazz had fought off entire hordes of demons ever so gallantly, they could actually picture the private eye wearing a black tank top with a red bandana over her forehead while carrying Stacy in one arm and firing a huge machine-gun with the other at the never-ending hordes of monsters. 

\- “I’m sure Stacy would love to have her around but something tells me Jazz wouldn’t accept”- replied the old lady

Later that morning the P.I discreetly recover her beat-up car, the whole street was swarming with police, reporters and nosy neighbors. It was the first time in many years that her car started on the first try, it was almost as if it felt that it was going to be replaced and was struggling to prove its worth, it took her about twenty minutes to come back to her apartment building, after leaving her car in the parking lot, Jazz walk up to her room, on the way up she met with her regular routine.

The disgusting pervert who was ditching classes so he can read a porn magazine under the stairs, the lawyers that hardly hire her nowadays, the couple that always argues and of course the pothead, mister Anderson who already started his private party.

The smell of marijuana was strong on the whole floor so much that if the P.I had remained standing there she would get high, upon entering her apartment she relaxes in her chair while she watches through the window, the blue sky made everything she went through seem like a nightmare she had woken up from.

Jazz send a couple of messages to Sam letting her know that she was alright and that she would close shop for the day, she wanted to take the day off after all her body still sore and she wasn’t in the mood to work.

(XXXXX)

As evening arrive the red hair visit a classy bar in downtown she had been fancying to go, the place at the moment had few customers since it was only four o´clock, aside from drinks the place also offers dinner, wanting to celebrate for having rescued the girl and also feeling like spoiling herself just a little especially after so many near-death situations. 

The redhead sat next to the window where she could see everything going on outside, the cars and the people, it was all so lively, though not even a second after she sat a young waitress walk up to her, Jazz order a large steak and some red wine. As she waited for her meal to arrive she enjoy the classy music this joint offer, the streets, as usual, were busy though she did wonder if the police were to be knocking at her door to ask uncomfortable questions anytime soon.

During her meal a nice-looking guy walk up to her and offer to join her since all tables were taken, he wore a gray button shirt and black pants, his blonde hair slightly long and well comb his smile show impeccability clean teeth. 

The man had even brought her some more wine, though normally she would have decline she was in a good mood, that and considering that her only real friend Sam was unfortunately still too young to join her for a drink, so she took the man´s offer. 

After nearly an hour of chatting and laughing she notice that the man was finally starting to hit on her more evidently than before, he had the audacity to offer to take her somewhere more “private” to talk, Jazz was far from drunk, she was actually still sober, even though the woman was no fool she actually considers the offer knowing all too well what the guy really wanted.

\- “Sure, but I gotta go to the lady’s room for just one moment”- said Jazz as she stood up

The man looks at her go as he smiles yet only a few steps away the redhead was crash by an already drunk girl who in an effort to not fall on the ground took hold of Jazz´s jacket pulling it down to her wrists, Jazz quickly adjusted herself and pull the girl up.

\- “Are you ok?” asked the detective.

The girl giggles as she replies with a “yes” and ran off to her table where friends were waiting. Once in the bathroom Jazz rested her hands on the sink as she wonders if what she was about to do was alright. She took a deep breath and concluded that it was perfectly normal for an adult to have this kind of encounters, she recalls the last time she was with someone, it had been over three years, an eternity for many.

\- “A one-night stand is okay once in a while”- said the detective as her heartbeat harder, she felt like a teen about to have her first time.

She wonders where they should go, her office was out of the question since Sam would swing by in the morning so was his house, she didn’t know the guy to just follow him to his place, the only reasonable place was a hotel.

The moment she got out of the bathroom she notices a larger crowd in the bar though she was sure it would die down in just a few more hours and the bar, as well as the streets, would be left empty, despite the many efforts of Town Hall to recover some of the nightlife in the city. 

However, Jazz had returned to an empty table, the guy that was chatting her up had left her behind without a single word as to why she wonder if she had said something that bothers him or took too long in the bathroom at that moment she recalled the incident with the drunken girl as she passed her hand over her pistol.

\- “Fuck.... he saw my gun”- whisper Jazz as she sat on her table alone. The same waitress that serve her before came up to ask if she wanted something more.

“Yeah, a banana split....”- replied the P.I

As she ate her dessert she looks around at all the loving couples, some leaving while others dance and drinking to their heart's content.

\- “Not exactly the dessert I wanted but it’ll have to do”- said the redhead to no one.

(XXXXX)

Despite her successful case and though Joanna Smith bathed Jazz in flattery and spoke highly of her within her social circles another month had passed but at least she had two cheating wife’s cases, though she had reported about the purple hair girl to the police there wasn’t a follow up about it, at least not one that she was informed about. 

As the detective surf the internet she came across many news flashes that talk about a rise in murders, robberies, and rapes in recent months, though mostly in the poorer parts of Amity Park, despite the monsters in East Town and the ever-present ghosts, people still had the need to harm each other.

Suddenly the sound of someone gently knocking on the door was heard, Sam the young assistant or rather detective in training as she prefers to be called nowadays, answer the door letting a woman in her mid-thirties walk in, her hazel eyes were red and puffy. 

The woman wore a nice yet simple pink dress, her brown hair was well done, one could say she looks like the classic suburbs housewife, she quickly walks over to the desk where Jazz was sitting, as she came close the detective notices the perfect make she was wearing, the black hair woman looks just like doll but sad.

\- “Good evening, can I help you with something, miss?” asked Jazz.

\- “Yes detective, my name´s Carla and my husband Brian has gone missing”- answer the woman.

The wife seems genuinely scared, she was sure something bad had happened to her husband, she explain about strange phone calls at odd hours in which case the man would walk out the room, she also commented on how Brian always came back home very late, sometimes smelling like cheap perfume, though he argues that it was because of his female coworkers.

\- “How long as he gone missing”- ask Jazz as Sam took note of everything.

\- “About a week, he went on a business trip for the weekend and should have been home by Monday”- replied the wife as she handed out a photo of the man. Jazz stare at the photo, Brian was slightly overweight, a little bold clearly in his mid-forties. 

Though it seems more like a cheating husband case rather than a missing person case, yet Jazz hadn't heard anything that actually suggested that the man had run away with a lover or that he even had lover, to begin with, everything so on was circumstantial, therefore she was going to pull this off as missing person case, to think her next case would be so similar to the previous one though it was obvious she wasn’t going to be charging the same amount.

\- “Well I assume you don’t have any idea where he could be, otherwise you wouldn’t have come here”- said Jazz as Carla nodded in agreement.

\- “First things first, I normally charge $40 the hour-plus case-related expenses but in missing person cases I charge $250 per day plus case-related expenses, is this ok?” said Jazz as the woman agree to her fee, she wanted her man back no matter the price. 

The detective asks for Brian´s phone number and e-mail address as well as Carla´s contact information, the woman told Jazz that her husband drives a red Jetta but that model, in particular, was very popular in Amity, it wouldn’t be of much help. 

\- “Take this too, it’s from where Brian stays when he’s out of town”- said the wife as she handed a hotel presentation card.

The woman thanks Jazz for accepting to help her out and step out the door, Sam asked if she was going on another trip to East town, the goth was still angry about the fact that Jazz had taken such a dangerous job in the worst part of Amity Park without even telling her about it.

\- “No Sam, it doesn’t have anything to do with East Town, though the place this hotel is located is no better”- answer the detective. The card in Jazz's hands was from a place in Amity unlike what the woman thought, far from being a business class hotel the card was from a “no-tell” motel.

The goth wanted to tag along with the detective if she wanted to become a private eye herself she had to learn from close hand, but Jazz disagree as she orders her assistant to stay in the office, “but why?” asked the teenager almost whining.

\- “It could be dangerous for a teen”- said the detective, “besides I need you to access his email and phone log, find out who’s he been talking to, I wanna know with who he’s been seeing.”- order Jazz as her assistant made a military salute.

(XXXXX)

The road was slightly packed with people running around doing their daily business trying their best to finish everything they were up to before dark, some would even leave work half done if night caught up to them, Jazz was driving down to the hotel in her brand new four-door black sedan. The woman smiles as she was quite pleased with her new transport, it outdoes her old beetle by miles. 

Amity Park had been split into various districts, such as East Town where the monster now lives and well here, the second-class commercial district best known as “Hookerville.” The place was full to the brim with all kinds of sleazy shops all of ill repute, here one could buy from cheap toilet paper to the most expensive machine-guns, even people were on sale like the name suggest the entire area is pack with all types of prostitution, there wasn’t a single street without some kind lady offering her services. 

The police in Amity Park was under-staff, underpaid, overwork and dangerously outnumber by the criminals in town, which gave birth to this place, yet around here the women were the law and order if you had the money they can make your wildest fantasy come true but if you start up trouble you would be found in multiple pieces around town. Jazz park her car in a nearby somewhat safe parking garage, though she would have to pay over a hundred bucks if she wanted to leave it overnight, she hopes it wouldn’t come to that.

As Jazz walk down, the streets she couldn’t help but notice all the hardly dress women under the blazing hot sun but not a single police officer was around to keep order, she knew that the police never came here in uniform under any circumstance apparently, they had an uneasy truce going on but even so some cops got special donuts for putting a blind eye on the many injustices that took place here. 

The hotel soon came into sight, though the name should be a great give away to Mrs. Carla. - “Paradise Hotel”- said Jazz as she holds the hotel card up.

Paradise hotel was a lot bigger than what Jazz had imagined, the place was at least four stories high and took almost all the block, the sidewalk was filled with prostitutes all trying to pick up clients, the detective wonder what kind of hotel this place was before the ghost infestation. Some of the ladies look at her as she walked inside, to her surprise the lobby was huge, a couple of columns in the middle, the reception in the back, a small shop to the far left though Jazz had an idea of what was on sale, needless to say, there were a lot more women inside.

From what Jazz could make out, it seems that the new girls had to stay outside, while the “veterans” could be in the lobby perhaps the popular girls already had a room and made reservations, as she walks over to the reception she could hear expressions such as “a new girl,” there was just too much competition going on for her to pass unnoticed especially given in how she dressed.

\- “Evening, looking for work?” questioned the receptionist who seem tired not only of his work but perhaps of life itself.

\- “Looking for a man actually”- replied Jazz as she saw a name tag on the man that read Samuel

\- “Every girl here is looking for a man”- said the receptionist who gave a half-laugh.

Jazz knew her reply came out wrong, she then pulls out a photograph of the man she was looking for, Samuel gave a quick glance and immediately reply “don’t know him,” Jazz knew he was lying, discretion was the most important part of his job, especially if someone who looks like a cop comes around.

\- “Are you sure you haven’t seen him?” asked Jazz once more.

Though as she shows him the picture again she made sure to also show a hundred-dollar bill from under the picture, the man smiles just a little as he took hold of the photo and with it the money, the man hid the cash in his sleeve, it seems like he had done this many times before judging by how quick the move was.

\- “Like I said lady, I don’t know him” continue Samuel as he lowers his face and pretends to write in his ledger, “talk with the girl in 229” whispered the man.

Jazz scoff and walk away, she understood that if he was caught ratting out someone he might end up killed therefore she acted as if she was insulted. She confidently walks up the stairs still been gaze up by the working girls, upon reaching the first floor the first thing she noticed was a sign with an arrow and a drawing of a stair, under the images it read “100-199, Conference rooms,” the detective didn’t expect this place to even have a conference room, but then again there was a time this was a very respectable hotel.

Almost out of nowhere a group of at least eight topless girls in G-strings, walk pass Jazz even pushing her to the side before she could complain they open the conference room door as they started to sing happy birthday to someone inside, though slightly curious about the party the detective wave it off and continue going to the second floor.

Strangely the hallway was completely empty though she had to ignore the moaning and bed creaking coming from within the rooms, Jazz hopes the girl in 229 wasn’t “busy,” it would be awkward to wait for her in this place or to have to kick her client out. 

The detective was now certain that Brian was indeed cheating on his wife, it would be foolish to believe otherwise, men didn’t come to this part of town just to talk about the weather, it even seems that he had a prefer girl.

Upon reaching door 229 Jazz close in her ear to hear if she was with someone, yet she couldn’t hear anything. The red hair woman knocks a couple of times, almost immediately the woman inside calls out to who had knocked on her door, though her smile washes away upon laying eyes on the detective, her black long coat and almost police-like attire were warning signs for the working girl.

\- “You lost or something?”- questioned the prostitute as she lit a cigar.

(XXXXX)

Jazz observe the woman that stood before her, she had long blonde hair, about the same breast size as her, as expected she dress an almost transparent baby doll. It wasn’t the first time Jazz had to tail a cheating husband to this part of Amity, that’s how she heard of this hotel thought she had never come close to it. Jazz had even discovered some wives working here behind their spouse’s backs, not because of money needs some just as they said: “they needed it.” 

The detective took out the photo and explain what she wanted. - “Sorry babe, I don’t know him besides time’s money”- reply the blonde hair girl as she tries to close the door

With that Jazz knew the girl wanted money to talk so she put two hundred dollars on the girl’s cleavage and invited herself inside, as she walks next to a nightstand taking the sit beside it, the girl looks at the money and soon heard from Jazz “that’s time,” the girl gulp as she explains she wasn’t a snitch and didn’t want trouble by talking with the police.

\- “Not a cop, I’m a P.I”- said Jazz

The blonde hair prostitute looks at the private investigator who crosses her legs and rested her cheek on her left hand while showing off her still holster handgun, the girl sat on the bed in front of her new client, she had a worried expression on her eyes.

\- “P.I. like Sherlock Holmes?”- said very nervously the girl as she avoided eye contact with the detective.

\- “More like Dick Tracy”- replied Jazz.

The girl was concerned about being in a locked room with an armed woman, the prostitute could easily talk her way out with men after giving them a treat but a woman was a very different story. Things could get ugly really quick yet detective Jazz explains she wasn’t here to cause her trouble, she just wanted to know the whereabouts of the man, where he normally stays and if he had other playmates. 

\- “Well I do know him, he’s one of my regulars”- said the girl as she offers Jazz a cigar.

\- “No thanks, trying to quit. It’s a nasty habit”- answered the detective.

Jazz asks how often they met and where the blondie told her that they normally met in the room they were in, but just once she was invited along with other girls to his house in downtown, so he and his friends could have a party. The detective recalls the home address Carla had given her, the place they live in wasn’t downtown but in the suburbs, at last, she had a decent trail to follow but there was still the possibility it was the house of one of his friends.

\- “Mind telling me where this house is?”- kindly ask Jazz.

Unfortunately, the girl had forgotten where the place was, nevertheless, she did write it down, the detective patiently waited for her to find the note, it was nice for her to have things going so smoothly, unlike her previous case where she had fought for her life. 

\- “Here you go”- suddenly said the girl as she handed over a piece of paper with the address, - “by the way you think Brian is ok? He’s kind of a nice guy”- continue the girl.

\- “Don’t know but I’m gonna find out, I didn’t get your name”- replied the detective.

\- “Call me Candy”- said the blonde hair girl

The moment Jazz step out the door she saw a man in a blue suit coming down the hallway next to a hardly dress brunette, the man stops for a moment as he gazes at the detective. She knew she stood out dress with her long coat and black attires, it just yelled cop, but on the other hand, there was just no way she was going to be walking these streets in sexy lingerie so she could blend in, Jazz turn around and saw Candy was standing next to her.

\- “See you next week”- said the detective as they rub noses.

Candy was left speechless, she did understand that the P.I had to keep a low profile despite her clothes, yet that action made her feel as if she were part a cop show, all she needed was the cameras and someone to shout out “cut,” but of course she had to return to her reality where she wasn’t an actress in a cop show but a simple prostitute trying to earn her day to day, she had hoped the detective would come to see her again hopefully not work-related on either side.

The man in blue suit watch the detective pass next to him without even giving him a sideways glance, - “Damn that dyke is hot”- she heard the man said in low voice to no one in particular, it was for the best that she was confused with a lesbian looking for some fun with working girl.

Hookerville was soon left behind as Jazz drove to downtown, her wristwatch told her was already 5 o’clock, though she didn’t feel hungry yet she pulls out a granola bar from the glove box, it had become a habit to have some sort of treat since her stakeouts often were boring and long so she felt the need to eat something.

(XXXXX)

The house was located in the corner just in front of some basketball courts, Casper high was about six blocks down the street, the detective park her sedan in front of the house, it was an old place but it wasn’t mistreated, the lawn was properly cut, the only tree neatly trim though the yellow paint needed a new coating. Her phone started to ring, it was Sam.

\- “Hey boss, I got into his email and found a chatbox”- said Sam

\- “Anything useful?”- questioned the detective.

\- “Well he’s been having an intense conversation with a woman named Jennifer Spring, most of the chat is like written porn. Not really my taste, but the last time they chatted was about a week ago, it seems they exchange phone numbers so I guess the rest of it was talked on the phone.”- said Sam.

\- “Jennifer describes herself as a pretty, thin girl with jet black hair”- continued the goth girl through the phone

Jazz had already established that Brian was having an affair with girls in Hookerville but now he was having one with someone from a chatbox, perhaps he thought it be much cheaper to have a lover he didn’t have to pay than to spend money on a prostitute but then again, most women became a little possessive over time, most if not all don’t like been the second choice at least that’s what she had seen. 

\- “What about the phone? Got anything on that?”- questioned the detective.

\- “Phones are a little trickier, it gonna take me some more time”- replied Sam.

Jazz wonder where she had learned to hack, the name Tucker Foley come to mind, he was a close friend of Sam who by the goth girl´s account was a techno-obsesses geek, so maybe he shows her how to hack into an email account. She would like to meet this kid, especially if he was this good.

After hanging up, the detective looks around the house it was hard to determine if someone was inside but as she came closer to the garage in the backyard she saw a red Jetta with Brian´s plates, at least she knew the man had come here. 

She rang the bell a couple of time but no one came to answer the door, behind her were some teenagers playing in the courts, so she walks around to the backyard and straight up to the back door, just like the one in front, this one was also locked.

With a quick glance around Jazz didn’t see any nosy neighbors looking, she kneels down in order to pick the lock as she was putting the first hook she felt a cold metal pushing the back of her head, “get up” said a male voice, was she made? Had someone set her up? Perhaps someone in Hookerville saw her and decided to get a new girl for their hotel, perhaps they were short on redheads. As she turns around the detective could see a young man in a nice-looking suit and a cool haircut, she looks at him the man seems nervous, suddenly someone else calls out to him. 

“Is everything alright?” said an unseen man.

The moment he was called out he slightly turns his head, Jazz quickly took hold of the gun, twisted around and removed it from his grip, as she kicks him down, though the moment she aims the newly obtain weapon the second man yells at her “freeze!”

All three locks at each other, but the man on the floor had already pull out his backup gun, now two guns where been aim at Jazz, she heard the second man order her to drop her weapon, but she wasn’t going to give up so easily. Slowly she turns her eyes from the first man and to the second one.

\- “.... Lancer, is that you?” questioned the P.I as she lowers the stolen gun.

\- “Jasmine, nice to see you again, do you mind giving my officer his weapon back”- order Lancer to Jazz. The woman gave a half-smile as she returns the gun back to the police detective, while she said “sorry.”

“What are you doing here, Jazz?”- asked Lancer

\- “Missing person, You?”- replied Jazz

\- “Murder, now move”- said Lancer as he kicks the door open while he yells - “Amity Park P.D!!!”-

(XXXXX)

Despite the complaint of the second police detective Jazz follow in with her pistol in hand, following detective Lancer, the man was in his mid-forties, balding and overweight, though an excellent detective with an even better perception. The other officer seems to be new in this trait, his shaky hands were a big give away but Jazz wasn’t so far behind as it was her first time doing a bust.

\- “Brian Conner!!! you are under arrest for the murder of Patricia Spring....” the initial macho yelling of Lancer dies down as he lay his eyes on the corpse of mister Brian.

The private eye looks at the man, she saw a huge hole in his forehead with an even larger hole exiting the back of his head, the man seems to have been killed a few days ago. Soon more police officers broke in all yelling the same as Lancer did when he entered the house, seemingly the two detectives had gotten here first and because of Jazz they had to speed things up. The woman took out the photo and proclaim the dead one to be his missing guy.

\- “How long has he been missing?”- questioned Lancer.

\- “About a week”- Replied Jazz.

The old detective began to examine the corpse as well as the obvious cause of death, the body already presented rigor mortis. Brian was holding on to a beer can and a hamburger, one in each hand, Lancer notice some food in his mouth, he was still chewing when the murder shot him.

It seems like a foul joke when Jazz saw the beer can label, it was the same brand she drank. The P.I couldn’t help but think if she had been played somehow, the man she was looking for turn out to be a murder not to mention how easy it was for her to pick his tail and to find him, perhaps she was being tasted or worse yet she could have been walking into a trap. 

Though such thoughts dance around in her head Jazz ask who had Brian murder, in hopes it would shed some light on whether she was been target or was just a sick coincidence since most of her cases involved finding people she could have unknowingly handed a victim to him. 

\- “He killed a housewife about a week ago, to make things worse her daughter’s gone missing. We got his fingerprints on the last victim and some eyewitnesses put him in the victim house,”- said the second detective to Jazz.

\- “Did you talk to his wife Carla?”- retorted the P.I.

\- “We’re unable to locate her”- answered Lancer.

The woman had no other option but to tell about her case, as she explains about how she got involved and even her venture to Hookerville, the young detective laughs out loud as she envisions the P.I questioning the whores while telling potential clients that she didn't work there. 

\- “If the wife hired you and even gave you an address, I doubt she’ll be running away”- said Lancer as he invited the private eye to give her professional opinion.

Jazz walk up to the body and observe it closely, while the young detective rant about having a civilian take part of a murder case, ignoring the complaining the P.I notice that in the entry wound there was slight burn flesh, his eyes were wide open and the half chew burger in his mouth meant he didn’t even see the gun that kills him.

\- “How strange, from what I can see he was shot at point-blank range but if so, he shouldn’t be holding anything”- said Jazz.

\- “That’s what I thought, it’s almost if he didn’t even see the guy standing in front of him with a gun to his head”- replied Lancer as he picks up a single bullet case from the ground.

\- “So, you two saying he was shot by an invisible guy, even if ghosts are real there is definitively a logical explication for this”- retorted the young police detective.

Soon a police officer in full uniform walk up to detective Lancer as he informed him about finding a secret room in the basement, all three hurried down to the basement where they met with a large crowd of policemen. 

Upon entering the room, the sight surprise Jazz more than she expected before her eyes was a bright pink color room, filled with toys, stuff animals and a huge heart-shaped bed in the middle. As the detective follows Lancer and his partner inside she notices a large mirror on the roof just above the bed, another one on the wall next to a drawer that was placed in the corner and even a shower on the opposite corner of the drawer.

The place seems like an expensive hotel room, she was sure that the drawer would be filled with condoms and sex toys but the real show wasn’t the room but what laid on the bed cover by a sheet, the two detectives and the P.I slowly walk over to the bed, where a lump had been covered by a pink blanket.

Upon removing the linen, Jazz, as well as Lancer and his young partner, saw in full disgust the nude dead body of a young girl. Lancer look closer at the victim, he notices handprints around her neck, the sick dog had strangled her to death after having some “fun” with her. 

The corpse had long black hair, she was very thin, Jazz had more or less an idea of who the girl was, - “That must be Jennifer Spring”- said the P.I. as she came to realize that the girl in question was no older than ten years old.

Soon after the P.I hurry into her new car, she tries to calm herself down, she was trembling, completely unable to drive back to the office or to see her client in her current state, though her case started somewhat easy it became unexpectedly obscure, to think she would have found a murder scene and two corpses, one of a little ten-year-old girl and the other of her murderer. 

Jazz started to search in her pockets and her glove box even under the leather seats but couldn’t find what she was looking for.

\- “Damn, why did I stop smoking.... fuck I need one”- whimpered the P.I. never before had she seen a dead girl and though she manages to hide her dread she was now breaking apart.

Out of nowhere someone knocks on her window, startle by the sound Jazz turn around to see mister Lancer looking at her while offering a cigar from his personal stock, as Jazz try to fight off the need of smoking the old police detective climb aboard the car without even been invited in.

\- “Let’s go see the wife”- order Lancer while he lit Jazz’s cigar with one hand.

Though the private investigator didn’t feel like acting like a taxi she did take Lancer to see Brian’s wife, after asking about his partner, Lancer told her that his partner was taking care of other needs. As they headed over to Carla’s house, the man asks his driver to stop for he was hungry and wanted to buy a hot dog from a nearby stand.

(XXXXX)

The P.I watch at Lancer as he bought a meal from hot-dog stand in the corner, her eye turns over to the street on the opposite side, there she could see some people climbing aboard a bus, though before she notices, the older man had climb back aboard and offer her a soda and an hot-dog.

\- “Jazz we’ve known each other for some time... and well I’ve been thinking about you a lot”- said the man as he soon took a large bite from his hot dog.

The red hair woman didn’t like one bit the course the conversation was heading, she was already denied a one-night stand and now a fifty-year-old man was trying to hit on her, she regretted the moment he boarded her car.

\- “Listen man, your married and there’s about a twenty-year age gap and I hate to say this but you’re not my type... maybe we can stay as friends”- said the P.I as Lancer looks at her with cold stoic eyes.

\- “You done?”- said the man as Jazz nodded while she started to eat her meal.

\- “First of all, I’m not hitting on you, second I’m divorced and I’m getting fired”- continued the man as he finishes his hot dog and started to drink his soda.

Jazz nearly chock as he heard the word “fired,” she had known the man for years she was sure he was a great detective, honest and talented, throughout his years he had crack dozens of cases and put nearly a hundred criminals behind bars without mentioning the many people he rescued from kidnapping. 

To think he was been fire, it was unimaginable, it had to be a lie or a joke, if Lancer had committed some sort of mistake like been overly rough with a suspect, town hall could easily look some other way after all the good he’s done.

\- “You’re been fired!! This is ridiculous! It has to be some sort of mistake”- retorted Jazz as she refuses to believe that Lancer was been fired.

\- “No Jazz, it’s not a mistake”- said Lancer.

\- “You see Jazz I ran into some trouble with a corrupt politician... the bastard pulled some strings and I’m being let go off”- said Lancer as he took another sip of soda.

Nearly a year ago, he had been calling to a nearby hospital where he discovered a young waitress who had been beaten and raped by a drunken client just outside the bar she worked at, it took all of three hours for Lancer to find the culprit and have him arrested, though to his surprise the man in question turned out to be the governor’s son, yet his bravery and devotion to justice didn’t let him be either intimidate or bought by the corrupt politician.

The governor tried to persuade both the detective and the victim to drop the charges but none of them were letting their arm-twist. Detective Lancer presented hard proof of the rape but out of nowhere his evidence started to either disappear or end up contaminated, even his only witness suddenly changed his testimony, it was clear he was bought, no matter how hard both Lancer and the victim’s lawyer tried they just couldn’t pin the guy for rape, in a way of speaking he was above the stars. 

Despite the once-solid evidence against the man, he was only to serve a single year behind bars for sexual misconduct and battery, Lancer made sure the whole scandal went public hence he had ruined the governor’s reputation this, of course, brought him severe consequences.

Jazz had heard about the case in the news but it was never mentioned the name of detectives in charge, though they did speak a lot of garbage of the waitress saying she was a loose woman, they as far as to describe her as a nymphomaniac and was doing this to either gain fame or money while making sure the rapist seems more like the real victim. It came as a surprise to know it was her friend Lancer the one in charge of the investigation and it came as a rude surprise to know he was been fired for doing his job.

\- “I’m sorry for all this, you didn’t deserve it”- said Jazz once she heard Lancer’s story.

\- “This whole year’s been a fucking mess, first this prick gets me fired, then I find my wife screwing with some idiot, I kinda snap and beat his ass”- said the old police detective as Jazz watch him while finishing her hot-dog.

\- “During the divorce settlement she said I’m a violent drunk, I haven’t touched the bottle in six years! Six, goddammit! I never hit her not even once”- continued the man.

The P.I. watches in silence with her eyes now towards the street as her friend pours his heart and frustration out, the man rant about losing his house, his ruin marriage and ruin career, how all his efforts were for nothing, his fifteen-year marriage, and thirty-five-year police career just went down the toilet.

\- “You didn’t climb aboard just to weep over my shoulder, did you now?”- questioned Jazz making the man turn towards her stoic face.

\- “No... like I said I’ve been thinking about you lately”- replied the man, though this time the private eye didn’t make a foolish joke.

Perhaps his male pride kept him from telling her what he truly wanted in the start nevertheless he took a deep breath and finally said it, “how about a partnership?” though the woman´s face remained stoic and even cold as she drank the last drop of her soda, behind her poker expression she was very much surprised.

\- “Listen man, right now I don’t have enough solvency to hire a partner or ......” said Jazz as Lancer cut her off.

\- “Let me stop you right there”- Lancer turn towards her, - “you’re not fooling me, I been doing this job long before you were even born and I been busting criminals by the time you were still playing with dolls”-

\- “Is this your way of asking favors?” questioned the P.I.

Lancer laughs out loud as he returns to his initial position and asks to see Jazz handgun, though the P.I hesitated for a moment she indeed pull out her weapon and passed it over to Lancer who in turn examine it carefully.

\- “This gun... a custom-made colt 45 with three-dot sights, tactical reload system and even a red laser sight just next to the trigger guard”- said Lancer as he inspected the weapon.

\- “You actually think you can fool me? Come on girl, just that coat your wearing is worth at least a grand and this is a brand-new car”- said the man.

Jazz wanted to retort against these allegations but Jazz knew she couldn’t, indeed she had an expensive coat though she could tell the truth by saying it was a gift from Sam, but then again, she claims not to have much money and yet she was driving a brand-new car, she had bought a new handgun with a bunch customization to fit her needs and taste, though Lancer couldn’t see she had new black tactical holster to keep her weapon safe and reachable.

\- “Consider it please,” said Lancer as he returns the gun and steps out to throw away the garbage.

On their way over to Carla´s house Jazz was genuinely concerned with Lancer, the man was the one who taught her most of what she knows, they first met five years ago when she requested her permission to open her agency, from him she learned to shoot and to see for evidence. In a way of speaking, she felt like she owes something to the old detective.

\- “Lancer things aren’t like you think, I just got one really good case but that’s it, most of it is boring as hell.”- said the red hair woman as Lancer look at her.

\- “Before we can start working together, I gotta ask, can you really work under a woman?” questioned the P.I.

\- “Who do you think I am? some sort of a dinosaur, of course, I can”- replied the man with a huge smile.

\- “When can you start?” questioned Jazz

The man explained that he had already received his one-week notification and had to be out by then whether or not he solve the case he had at the moment, Jazz felt sorry for the detective the man had served with pride and distinction, yet the moment some corrupt politician comes into play none of his almost heroic deeds matter at all.

(XXXXX)

The sun was starting to lower in horizon therefore they both knew they had little time, even though the city was mostly safe from ghosts during daytime, very few dare ventures during the night. Jazz park her car in front of Carla´s house, the front porch had some plants pots all well water, the place was two stories high, on the roof was an anti-ghost repellent, the house was located next in the middle of two wooden houses of similar size and shape, while on the corner was a restaurant though from where they park none could see the name. 

It was Lancer who rang the bell while Jazz remains just a few steps behind, it was the first time she had to give such bad news to someone, she contemplated many ways of giving the news without being cold and heartless though she had been taught never get too emotionally connected with the victim.

The door slowly opens revealing the brown hair woman, she smiles upon seeing Jasmine, hoping the P.I had finally found her husband, Carla let them inside. As the detectives walk into the living room, the first thing they notice was the almost childish decor, everything was pink and colorful, on the nightstand next to the couch was a large bowl with candy. 

\- “Thank god you here, please tell that Brian is ok”- said Carla as she offers to sit them in the living room.

\- “Mrs. Conner I am really sorry to inform you that your husband is dead... he was shot”- reply Jazz as she wonders if she should explain the details of his death and about the prostitutes.

The woman went pale as she began to cry in her sit, it was only natural to have this kind of reaction, the P.I couldn’t deliver another miracle where she found the missing person safe and sound, Carla asks how he die and why would someone kill him. 

\- “Mrs. Carla, my name is Thomas Lancer and I’m a detective for Amity Park P.D. I would like to ask you some questions”- said Lancer as he shows his badge.

The woman suddenly became quiet, she looks in sheer surprise upon knowing that the man that sat next to Jazz wasn’t her assistant nor her partner, her tears were traded for cold sweat as she sat straight, both detectives took notice of this sudden change in attitude.

\- “You mind if I use your bathroom”- asked Jazz as she stood up. Carla told her the bathroom was down the hallway, right door.

Rather than walking in front of Lancer, the red hair woman pass behind Carla as she gave a quick glance over to the kitchen, there she saw a recently baked chocolate cake standing on the counter, a couple of soda bottles and a wine bottle as well, she walks into the hallway as she continues to the bathroom, there was another door before the bathroom, Jazz took a quick peek by quietly opening the door, inside she could see toys and costumes, all around just scream children yet there wasn’t a single family picture around, the P.I recall that some couples tend to keep buying toys and such when their child passes away but something didn’t seem to match here.

As Jazz walks down the hallway she could hear Lancer asking Carla about her husband’s hobbies if they still date and what they do on their days off, the red hair woman walk inside the bathroom, aside from the toilet and the sink, it had large bathtub with pictures of popular sponge cartoon, just above the sink was a medical cabinet, on more normal circumstances Jazz would have done her bodily needs and walk out but things were far from normal.

The cabinet was a lock with a small and simple padlock, it took the redhead less than five seconds to open it, she was quite surprised with what she found hidden within the cabinet, there was a large number of condoms, lubricant tubes, and aphrodisiacs.

\- “Viagra?”- mentally said the detective as she took hold of a small bottle.

Lancer had now started to tell her about Brian's secret hobbies and the murder, of course, she refuses to believe her husband was a killer and a pedophile. Once Carla saw her P.I. came back from the bathroom she pleaded her to tell the policeman that her man wasn’t an evil person, that everything was a lie.

\- “Oh no, he was an evil man but no more than you”- replied the Jazz trying to hide her anger.

\- “You gave me your address so you should have hidden certain things”- continue the P.I as Carla back away while Lancer stood up, he watches the brown hair woman walking near the stairs to the first floor, she was scared more so than before. 

\- “I don’t what you’re talking about”- said Carla.

\- “What kind of a wife bakes a cake while her husband is missing and dresses like she’s going to a date”- said Jazz. 

The P.I as well as the police detective had finally taken notice of the pink blouse, black miniskirt and high heels the woman was wearing, she smells as if she had taken a bath in perfume, her makeup was impeccable, but all this brought a question, who in their right mind would go out at night with all the ghosts and demons lurking around? Of course, she could take a ghost-proof taxi to wherever she was having her date, even though they are expensive as hell.

\- “The room down the hall is filled with toys and costumes, some are even adult size”- continued the red hair woman.

\- “Please it’s not what you think, my Brian he’s sick, he needs help”- replied Carla.

Jazz wasn’t having any of it, she figures that the woman had hired her so she could find Brian before the police while she gets rid of all the evidence that put her in the whole pedo situation, she might have even played the “abused wife” card if Jazz had confronted her about it. But the cat was out of the box, Carla clearly helped Brian lure in children, the entire house was proof of it.

\- “Tell me something Carla, did you bring him the children or did you just comfort them with cake and toys after he was done”- demanded Jazz rather question.

Lancer was already calling in for backup ignoring Carla´s pleas to not call for more cops, soon the detective put his radio away and walk over to Carla with handcuffs in hand, the woman back away as she begs him to let her go, as expected she insisted that she was being forced to do it.

\- “Well there goes my paycheck”- whispered Jazz as she looks over to the stairs.

\- “Look out!!!!!”- yelled Jazz at the top of her lungs.

(XXXXX)

From the stairs a man wielding a double-barrel shotgun rush down as he opens fire at Lancer, he managed to dodge the blast thanks to Jazz warning. The blast had torn the sofa in half, both the detectives took cover however they could, Lancer hid in the hallway corner while Jazz ran into the kitchen, the unknown man order Carla to go upstairs, yet the woman was frenetically looking for something in the nightstand, Jazz took a quick glance slightly above the counter to see what was going on, yet she was received by another shotgun blast.

The top part of the counter was blown off covering the P.I in splinters, Lancer saw the man trying to reload as quickly as he could, the police detective took this chance to shoot him down, it took only two shots to the back to end the life of the shooter. Carla on the other side had found what she was looking for.

The room was filled with the sounds of an automatic weapon been discharge, bullets flew everywhere, Jazz answer to the fire as she peeks out the counter and gave a single shot before taking cover again, though her bullet only grazes Carla´s ear. She still kept firing over to where the private eye was hiding as she started to climb up the stairs, moving quickly both the detective and the private eye took positions next to the staircase.

\- “What the fuck is going on? And what the fuck was she using?”- asked Jazz with her pistol in hand.

\- “Seems she wasn’t alone and that was an Uzi submachine gun”- answer Lancer as he walks up the stairs.

As Jazz follow she saw bullets breaking the wooden corner forcing the police detective to stop, she could hear a second man giving orders to Carla, the red hair woman wonder how long it would take for reinforcements to arrive, feeling brave and stupid the P.I rush pass Lancer as she reaches to the top she spins around, aim her colt 45 and fire straight into the second perpetrators head as she rolls into a nearby room.

\- “My god I can’t believe that work”- said Jazz in amazement while she ignores Lancers berating for doing something so dangerous.

More gunfire from the Uzi came into the hallway stopping the detectives from capturing Carla, as Jazz waited for the gunfire to stop, she saw a little shadow trembling in the corner, the woman lit light up it to reveal a young girl perhaps of eight years old.

\- “Just how sick are these people”- said Jazz as she instructed the girl to remain hidden, that everything was going to be alright.

The bullets were shredding the wooden walls, soon the projectiles would find their targets, almost as if it were a miracle Carla ran out of bullets and the sounds of sirens came to Jazz ears. The shooter was unable to keep fighting so she shut the door close.

Against common sense Jazz once more rush down the hall and broke into the room, the place just like the rooms below was fashioned for kids, the large double size bed had balloons and the wallpapers were bright blue with clowns painted on them. The private eye notice that Carla wasn’t inside anymore, the window was wide open she had escaped through there, Jazz looks outside to see the brown hair woman running down the alley.

As she turns around she saw Lancer kneeling next to a naked boy, his eyes seem lost it was as if he didn’t know where he was. Jazz understood now who the men were and what they were doing here, she heard the yells of “Amity Park P.D” coming from the floor below, she rushes over to them and calls them up.

\- “Let’s go after her”- said Lancer as they left the kids in the care of the P.D.

The two detectives now accompanied by police officers chase down the brown hair woman, into more alleyways though for a moment they lost her trail as she enters into this labyrinth of streets, “spread out and find her”- order Lancer as they walk around until Jazz spotted a broken high heel.

\- “There”- said the red-haired woman as she pointed to a slightly open door.

Jazz now been followed by Lancer who had called in for his cops walk through the door, the place seems like an office building, as they venture inside the long hallways Lancer spotted the second high heel as they came close to it they saw, the elevator at the end of the hall closing.

\- “There she is. She’s going to the third floor”- said Jazz as she saw the number three turn on.

Unable to wait for the elevator to came back down, they both hurried up the stairs just as they reach the third floor Jazz realize how out of shape she actually was, though she calms a little as she turns over to Lancer who seem to be about to have a heart attack.

\- “No more muffins after dinner”- said Jazz under her breath.

Upon inspecting the hall and the elevator they were dumbfounded as they had lost her trail once more, that until an unbelievably fat security guard walkout around the corner holding to his head, Jazz momentarily froze in her spot as the man reminded her about the fat monster in East Town. 

\- “What happened?”- questioned mister Lancer while he holds the man by his shirt.

\- “Some crazy bitch hit me and took my gun”- replied the security guard as he explains that she was heading to the roof.

The two brave detectives ran up to the roof, though they both stop at rooftop entry, for they now they prefer to wait outside for backup, they already had a close call with death to ask for a second was foolish. The woman within walk around completely terrified of the outcome, life in prison or to die on the rooftop was the only option she had left.

\- “Carla!! Drop your weapon and surrender!!”- ordered Lancer as the police backup came up.

Within seconds dozens of policemen and Lancer along with Jazz ran outside the roof forcing the woman to stand against a metal railing, the P.I notice it was already dark outside even so there were squad cars and even a news crew helicopter transmitting live.

\- “This is Tiffany Snow reporting live from Suburbs Amity Park, just a few minutes ago a gunfight was unleashed were members of Amity Park police department tried to apprehend a dangerous kidnapper though the suspect manages to elude capture he was corner just”- said the news reporter as someone calls her.

\- “We just have an update on the suspect, her name’s Carla Conner a local resident”- continued the reporter as the camera focus on the railing where the woman was standing. 

The police shouted at the brown hair woman as they came closer, she cried while she kneels to floor it was over she had surrendered. Carla would risk it in court rather than be shot down here, she had set her mind to use the “abused wife” card and to cry her way to the jury’s mercy.

(XXXXX)

One of the policemen came closer to her once she had let the gun fall to the side, but before he could arrest her, from below a ghost dress like grim reaper pull him to the floor under.

\- “Ghost attack!!”- yelled another officer as dozens of specters rush from above while some more phase through the floor.

Only two officers had been issued anti-ghost rifles for this kind of situation but no one had expected so many to appear out of nowhere, what attracted them was still a mystery, crowds of people, kill intend, fighting, there was just so much to pick from.

Shrieking hellish wails were heard as the ghost’s charge against the police ripping some and carrying others away, Jazz search for her GZ-2000 only to remember leaving it in her car. As she raises her head she saw one of the ghosts flying straight to her laughing maniacally, near a panic attack the private eye took her colt 45 and began shooting at the apparition but to no avail, each shot pass through without causing any harm to the creature.

As the ghost charge against her, a powerful ray hit the beast tossing it away, Jazz knew it couldn’t be the either of the two officers with anti-ghost weapons they were still fighting other ghosts, the ray had come from above perhaps a police helicopter with an anti-ghost gun had saved her.

With her eyes glued to the sky, she couldn’t see from where had the ray come from but again another blast came from the black sky and another follow, the surviving policemen gather where she was, the ghosts had lost interest in the humans as something else in the sky had caught their attention.

\- “Dear lord, what is that?”- questioned a policeman as he pointed over to a shadowy figure.

The dark shadow blast away the ghosts, each time he shot the apparitions gave out a scream filled with pain, soon they started to flee from the shadow. All present including the news crew were now completely focus on the new specter that glides in the sky, Carla´s heart nearly stops as it came closer to her.

\- “Stop devil....... or I’ll shoot you”- tried to threaten the woman as she picks up and aims the revolver she had stolen from the security guard.

Carla´s perfect makeup was a mess due to her sweat and tears, the expensive blouse was cover in filth and wrinkle, her miniskirt had urine stains caused by her fear, even her perfume had been replaced by the stench of sweat and urine. The shadow looks at her with glowing green eyes, she knew she was in front of a monster far worse than any ghost, the most intelligent thing to do is to surrender as she lowers her gun she notices how the creature was breathing heavily, it was tired.

The new beast that floated in the sky though completely dress in black still wore some distinctions such as white boots and long white gloves yet his head was cover by a black hoodie, from his position it was impossible to see its face, just its eerie glowing eyes. 

\- “Time to pay for your crimes!”- suddenly spoke the shadow.

He pulls out his own gun and without a moment doubt it shot Carla in between her eyes, her head was pulled back as her brains flew out, the news cameras caught it all in high definition, the shadow slowly glided away from the building while the forces of order tried to close in. The cameras were transmitting live the whole situation between the shadow man and the police, there wasn’t a single television in Amity that wasn’t receiving the transmission. 

\- “Identified yourself immediately!!”- demanded a police captain from the ground with his megaphone, - “You’re under arrest.”-

\- “I am Danny Phantom!!”- yelled out the shadow.

All around were mesmerize at this shadow that calls himself Phantom, it was indeed the very first time a ghost spoke in human language and even gave its name to the public, though it was hard to believe he was a good person, after all, he had just shot a woman in front of a large crowd.

\- “Surrender at once!!”- continued the police captain 

Phantom glided down to the streets only to fly away into the alleyways while some brave policemen chase after him, Jazz was left standing next to the railing on the rooftop, she couldn’t believe what she had just seen.

This day had been most strange, her case went sore in just a few hours from starting, got into a gunfight with her client, got attack by a ghost swarm, to top it all she was “rescued” by an even stranger entity, the worse of all she wasn’t getting paid.

To be continued


End file.
